Bureaucrats in the Health Service
Figures released by the NHS Information Centre show that administration workforces in the NHS grew 8 times faster over the past 6 months than the number of doctors.
Compared with 103722 doctors working in hospitals, there are now over 237000 managers and administrative staff. From October 2009 to April, the total number of bureaucrats rose by 1800, a growth of just less than 1% in the total workforce. During the same period doctor numbers rose by only 100 – a 0.1% increase.
These figures come at a time when there are concerns that the NHS budget is being squeezed by the growing cost of bureaucrats. A case in point is the recent recognition that hospital chief executive pay had increased by 7% over 12 months, more than twice the increases awarded to nurses. Of greater concern is that the NHS Information Centre data also show that doctor numbers have begun to fall.
In April alone, the number of nursing posts fell by 857, whilst the number of doctors decreased by 261 in the same period, with training and junior registrar posts most affected.
Similarly the number of health visitors has fallen, now with just over 10000 employed by the NHS, compared with 45000 managers.
UNISON union officials have expressed great concern that the loss of frontline positions will have a devastating impact upon patient care.
