§ Mr. Nobleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many elderly persons were recommended for geriatric care in the Burnley area health authority during each year since 1974; what was the average waiting period for admission; and how this compared with (a) the North-West and (b) England and Wales.
§ Mr. MoyleInformation in the form requested is not available. The following table shows the numbers of elderly people waiting for admission to a geriatric bed for each year since 1974 in the Burnley health district, the North-Western health region and England.
705W
NUMBERS ON GERIATRICS WAITING LISTS ON 30 SEPTEMBER All urgent cases Number of cases waiting more than one month All non-urgent cases Number of cases waiting more than one year Total 1975 1976 1977 1978 1975 1976 1977 1978 1975 1976 1977 1978 1975 1976 1977 1978 1975 1976 1977 1978 Burnley Health District — — — 2 — — — — 5 5 — 4 5 5 — — 5 5 — 6 North Western Health Region 178 204 252 195 132 84 139 133 358 227 428 417 11 4 18 58 536 431 680 612 England 1,207 944 1,330 1,272 671 386 560 679 3,772 3,538 3,413 3,280 375 441 299 317 4,979 4,482 4,743 4,552 Notes:
- 1. Patients needing an emergency hospital bed are admitted without delay.
- 2. Comparable figures for Wales are not available.
- 3. Comparable information for 1974 is not available. On 31 December of that year the total numbers waiting for a geriatric bed were: Burnley health district—3: North-Western region—730: England—6,073.