NHS growth a fillip for medtech activity?:
This article was originally published in Clinica
Executive Summary
The UK's National Health Service reports a 3.7% increase in radiology consultants in England and Wales in the year to September 2002, according to a census published today (June 27 2003). The increase may go some way to remedying the "severe" staffing shortages that the Society of Radiographers claims are largely responsible for the low throughput in imaging services (see Clinica No 1061, p 7). Citing an overall 5% annual increase in NHS staffing levels, the government claims that "the NHS is the fastest growing health system in Europe". There are, however, large variations: the number of clinical oncology consultants actually fell by 5.4%. At the other end of the scale, the number of paediatric cardiology consultants increased 120%. Gastroenterology recorded an increase of around 18%, while anaesthetists and obstetrics & gynaecology specialists were up 7%.