Results of The BSG Hepatology Training Questionnaire 2002
Out of total of 635 members of BSG:
Questionnaires collected from 387 (61%)
1. Members were asked whether the next consultant appointed in their hospital
would be a gastroenterologist or hepatologist. These were stratified according to
type of hospital.
Next appointments –Hepatology or Gastroenterology:
No. of hepatologists as next appointment:
66 in 46 different hospitals
of which:
32 in 27 non-teaching hospital
34 in 19 teaching hospitals
Timescale of these appointments is unclear but presuming next appointment may be
in next 5 years:
We will need 46 hepatologists over the next 5 years (19 teaching and 27 nonteaching)
Number of gastroenterologists as next appointment = 289 in 180 hospitals
Therefore the ratio of hepatologists to gastroenterologists needed is 46/180 (0.25)
which is the ratio previously discussed in BSG committee –approximately one
hepatologist in training for every 4 gastroenterologists appointed.
2.Retirements:
Retirements were based on age, and data held by The BSG on proposed year of
retirement.
18 hepatologists in transplant centre. retirements over next 10 yrs: 5 (2 in next 5yrs)
17 hepatologists in academic liver centre. Retirements over next 10 yrs: 3 (2 in next
5yrs)
13 hepatologists in DGH. Retirements over next 10 yrs: 2 (2 in next 5yrs)
99 gastroenterologists with an interest in hepatology. Retirements over next 10 yrs:19
(12 in next 5 yrs)
Total estimated “hepatologists” retiring in next 10 yrs:10 (6 in next 5 yrs)
Total Gastro with interest in hepatology in next 10 yrs: 19 (12 in next 5 yrs)
Total number of hepatologists and gastroenterologists with an interest retiring
over 5 years: 18
As figure in 1. above, total intended appointments in hepatology is 44
Therefore presumes 18 retirements and 26 new jobs created = 44
3. Time spent by each physician looking after liver disease:
Members were asked to estimate how much of their clinical time they spent
looking after liver disease.
Total numbers of physicians that estimated these amounts of time were spent looking
after liver disease by job title.
In all the tables that follow
hep/OLT = hepatologist in transplant centre
Hep/academic =hepatologist in academic centre
Hep/DGH= hepatologist in DGH
Gastro/interest=gastroenterologist with an interest in hepatology
Gen Gastro= general gastroenterologist
Title
Hep/OLT
Hep/Academic
Hep/DGH
Gastro/interest
Gen Gastro
<25%
0
2/17
3/13
74/99
215/238
25-50%
1/18
2/17
8/13
23/99
23/238
50-75%
5/18
5/17
0
2/99
0
>75%
12/18
8/17
2/13
0
0
Conclusions could be that:
Those that call themselves gastroenterologists with an interest in liver disease look
after a lot of liver disease
There are not many DGH hepatologists
Intended appts (25% of all gastro appointments) seems to imply this will be addressed
4.Specialist liver clinic
Members were asked if they held a specialist liver clinic and this is expressed by
title.
Numbers of physicians holding specialist liver clinics by job title.
Title
No clinics
Hep/OLT
Hep/Academic
Hep/DGH
Gastro/interest
Gen Gastro
0
0
3/13
53/99
222/238
0.25 -0.5
clinics
0
1/17
0
13/99
10/238
1 clinic
2 or more
clinics
15/18
10/17
4/13
6/99
0
3/18
6/17
6/13
27/99
6/238
5. Training in liver diseases
Members were asked about their training in liver disease.
Values are means of each job title group showing how many years they estimated they
spent training in each kind of centre.
Title
Yrs training in OLT
centre
Hep/OLT
Hep/Academic
Hep/DGH
Gastro/interest
Gen Gastro
3.8
1.9
2.0
1.0
0.4
JKR
Initial version 13/1/03
Amended 11/3/03
Yrs training
in academic
liver centre
3.2
4.4
1.1
1.7
0.8
Yrs working for
hepatologist other
0.05
0.7
0
0.3
0.2