The data, which will now be published every month, covers the period from 30 September 2009 – the date used as a reference point for the latest annual workforce census – to 30 April 2010. It provisionally shows that for the NHS workforce (excluding primary care staff) in England overall:

• The headcount was 1,216,149 in April 2010. This is 3,351 (0.3 per cent) less than the previous month (1,219,500) but 11,559 (1.0 per cent) more than in September 2009 (1,204,590).
• The full time equivalent total was 1,076,935 in April 2010. This is 3,152 (0.3 per cent) less than the previous month (1,080,087) but 12,104 (1.1 per cent) more than in September 2009 (1,064,831).
• The role count was 1,241,341 in April 2010. This is 3,996 (0.3 per cent) less than the previous month (1,245,337) but 11,140 (0.9 per cent) more than in September 2009 (1,230,201).
• Between September 2009 and April 2010 there were 49,534 (4.3%) leavers and 61,706 (5.3%) joiners to the NHS in England.

The full set of data tables can be accessed here.