Changes in recruitment to public health consultant posts and hospital consultant posts in England: potential impact on the sustainability of the Public Health system.

BACKGROUND

The UK government has proposed major changes to the Public Health system in England. This study aims quantify increasing anecdotal concern that the number of Public Health consultant posts advertised has plummeted since the publication of these plans.

METHODS

The archives of BMJ careers were interrogated for hospital and Public Health consultant posts advertised October 2008 and May 2011. Statistical process control charts were used to compare differences in recruitment over time and the ratio of Public Health:hospital consultant posts.

RESULTS

We found a highly significant reduction in the mean number of advertisements for Public Health consultant posts from 27.9 posts per month in the period October 2008-Novermber 2009 to 6.3 posts per month between December 2009 and May 2010 (P< 0.005). The ratio of Public Health:hospital consultant posts fell from 3.3 to 0.9 Public Health consultant posts per 100 hospital consultant posts (P< 0.005).

CONCLUSIONS

This study confirms the anecdotal concern that there has been a significant reduction in the advertisement, and by extrapolation, recruitment to Public Health consultants posts in England around the time of the publication of the government's reform plans. Public Health consultant posts have been disproportionately affected by this reduction compared to hospital consultant posts.