Past surgical workforce reports

Workforce censuses and statistics

The 2023 UK surgical workforce census report, Advancing the Surgical Workforce, was published on 18 January 2024.

The RCS carried out two workforce censuses in 2010 and 2011. There are also older workforce figures collated from Hospital episode statistics to download.

The reports, data analysis and key findings can be downloaded below:

• 2011 workforce census report
• 2010 workforce census report
• UK surgical workforce statistics up to 2009

Working Time Directive

The Working Time Directive (WTD) requires that employers limit working hours of staff to work no more than 48 hours/week on average.

Find out more about the WTD. 

Useful workforce links

• Conference of postgraduate medical deans
• The Department of Health
• Healthcare Workforce Solutions
• The Health and Social Care Information Centre
• Joint Committee on Surgical Training
• Health Education England
• Modernising Medical Careers
• NHS Employers
• Centre for Workforce Intelligence
• Audit Scotland