Although moves to address shortages of workers in the children's health sector are gathering pace, it is as beset by staff shortfalls as the social care and early years sectors.
A survey conducted by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH), shortly before the European Working Time Directive restricted consultants to working 48 hours a week in 2004, found an additional 784 whole-time equivalent posts were needed.
Paediatric consultant numbers are rising by six to seven per cent a year, but another 2,000 consultants, taking into account community paediatrics and the requirement to provide 24-hour cover at all paediatric inpatient units and relevant neonatal units, are needed to meet the 4,500 figure the college uses in workforce discussions with the Department of Health.
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