Gender and variation in activity rates of hospital consultants

Abstract

Objective: To explore whether or not gender predicts consultant activity rates.

Design: Using data from the Hospital Episode Statistics for England 2004/2005, we explored inpatient activity rates of male and female hospital consultants, with and without adjustment for case-mix differences. As a sensitivity analysis we also explored outpatient attendances for male and female hospital consultants.

Setting: Data from the Hospital Episode Statistics for England.

Main outcome measures: Finished consultant episodes per year, with and without adjustment for case-mix differences, age and gender of consultant, contract held, hospital trust, specialty of practice, and clinical excellence awards, discretionary points and distinction awards.

Results: Including only consultants on full-time or maximum part-time contracts, men have significantly higher activity rates than women, after accounting for age, specialty and hospital trust.

Conclusions: The reasons for the different activity rates of male and female consultants are unclear, but the implications of these results for the planning of the medical workforce are important.

Figure 1

UK medical school intake by gender (data source: Webster 2005)

Figure 2

Consultant activity rate by age and gender: surgical specialties (general surgery, urology, trauma and orthopaedics, ENT and ophthalmology) and medical specialties (general medicine, gastroenterology, cardiology, paediatric medicine and geriatric medicine). (Consultants on full-time or maximum part-time contracts only.)