SmartST

National picture · 2025

Stats

How ~80,000 applicants funnel down to ~10,000 UK posts — the national picture, and how it has shifted over the last decade.

applied · 2025: ~80,000~80,000applied · 2025appointable (~35%): ~28,000~28,000appointable (~35%)UK posts (~13%): ~10,000~10,000UK posts (~13%)

2025 national figures (NHS England). Hover any bar for detail.

1 specialty · 16,399 applicants · 36%2 specialties · 11,935 applicants · 26%3 specialties · 8,613 applicants · 19%4+ specialties · 9,011 applicants · 20%64%apply to 2+
  • 1 specialty · 36%
  • 2 specialties · 26%
  • 3 specialties · 19%
  • 4+ specialties · 20%

Most applicants apply to 2 or more specialties: spreading across several is the norm, not the exception.

Sources

2025 NHS England competition ratios + Freedom of Information releases. Per-specialty official sources are on each specialty page.