The three UK Royal Colleges of Physicians have conducted a census of consultant physicians for many decades. It provides us with rich data that help us understand the make-up and state of the medical workforce.

The Roayl College of Physicians of Edinburgh wants to ensure that our Fellows and Members can make use of the data to understand what is happening in their specialty and region. As well as a short summary report, we produce interactive dashboards that anyone can download.

Using the dashboards

The dashboards are interactive and feature a user guide. The census data can help you examine such things as:

  • Trends in the workforce 2004-19
  • Number of consultants by specialty, nation, region and sub-region
  • Changes in workforce demographics and working patterns over time
  • Estimated numbers of consultants who practice in acute medicine or general internal medicine
  • Estimated numbers of consultants who practice less than full time
  • National, regional and sub-regional population vs numbers of full-time equivalent consultants
  • Proportion of consultants working in majority-urban or majority-rural areas
  • Proportion of consultants working at multiple locations


The dashboards are designed to allow someone to logically progress from the headline figures, to greater detail using filters to investigate the data by criteria such as age group, contract, specialty, nation and NHS region.

If you have any comments or suggestions on how the dashboards can be improved, please contact MedicalWorkforce.Unit@rcplondon.ac.uk