Bureaucracy soaks up extra NHS billions

The army of managers running the National Health Service is swelling at almost three times the rate of the number of doctors.

New figures on the NHS workforce reveal an explosion in the number of bureaucrats.

There are now more bosses than GPs or consultants - with 11,000 new recruits joining the ranks since 1999 alone.

Doctors and patient groups reacted with dismay today, warning that the rise in backroom staff and red tape was draining resources for frontline care and swallowing the extra billions being poured into the NHS.

The extraordinary rise in the number of managers is exposed in the latest annual NHS workforce statistics. These show that the NHS employs almost 1.3 million people in Britain, ranging from porters and secretaries to administrators, family doctors and surgeons. Less than half - 633,375 - are qualified clinical staff, such as doctors, nurses, and therapists.

Since 1997, the rise in the number of managers has outstripped rises in almost every other category of

employee - escalating at a rate of

8.1 per cent a year. A total of 13,148 extra managers have joined the service since 1997, bringing the managerial workforce to 35,321.

The rise in the number of new GPs has been sluggish in comparison - just 1.7 per cent a year.

Andrew Haldenby, director of the pressure group Doctors For Reform, said: "These figures show how topsy-turvy the NHS has become. It is great that resources are being poured into the NHS but it seems every time a hospital gets extra money, it comes with extra managers attached. Money does not filter through to patients."

Health spending has risen dramatically since Labour came to power, with the annual NHS budget expected to go up from £56 billion last year to £90 billion in 2007-8. Health Secretary John Reid insists much of the money has gone on more medical staff.

However, the latest figures show that since 1997 the number of doctors of all ranks has risen at a rate of just 3.1 per cent a year, while the number of nurses has risen at a rate of 3.3 per cent.

Many of the extra managers are needed to oversee the delivery of hundreds of new targets, covering everything from waiting times in accident-and-emergency units to the issue of information leaflets.

Tim Yeo, Tory health spokesman, said: "Managers do have a role to play but this must not be at the expense of investment in front line staff."

A spokeswoman for the Department of Health said: "Managers make up less than three per cent of the total NHS workforce.

"More money than ever is going into the NHS. Good management is vital if the money is going to make a real impact in improving services for patients."