The latest Census of consultant physicians in the UK, produced by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP), suggests there is a move away from specialist working to more generalist roles treating acutely ill patients.
The annual Census measures the number of consultants in all medical specialties. Acute Medicine saw the largest increase, with a dramatic 33% expansion. The specialty remains relatively small in real terms, with just 393 practising physicians, but this has leapt from 295 the previous year. The massive increase in demand exceeds supply of trained acute medicine specialists. 41% of advertised acute medicine posts could not be filled due to a lack of suitably trained applicants. The latest Census also highlights large geographic variation in NHS Trusts’ ability to recruit consultant physicians. In London, 83% of advertised consultant posts were successfully filled, while in the North of England, only 51% of advertised consultant posts were filled. Other key findings from the census include:
• 46% of consultant physicians aged under 40 are female, compared to just 14% of consultants aged over 60.
• The consultant workforce has continued to become more part-time, with 17% of consultants physicians now working less than whole time.
• 79% of Census respondents reported enjoying their jobs ‘always’ or ‘often’, but 75% felt ‘always’ or ‘often’ under pressure.
• 60% of consultants stated an intention to retire early.
