§ Mr. William Hamiltonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many hospital beds have been permanently closed in each hospital region since the beginning of December 1979; and how many more closures are contemplated.
§ Dr. VaughanInformation is not held centrally in the form requested, but between 1 January 1980 and 30 September 1980 decisions were taken to close permanently hospitals or parts of hospitals which will involve the following number of beds:
Regional health authority Northern 22 Yorkshire 39 Trent 194 North Western 96 Mersey 71 West Midlands 44 North West Thames 155 North East Thames 128 South East Thames 146 South West Thames 762 East Anglia 10 Wessex 46 Not all these closures will yet have taken place. No decisions to make permanent closures were taken in Oxford or South Western regions.
At 30 September 1980 the Department had been notified by area health authorities of proposals to close permanently other hospitals or parts of hospitals involving the following numbers of beds:
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Regional health authority Northern Nil Yorkshire 450 Trent 83 North Western 41 Mersey 1,112 West Midlands 84 North West Thames 243 North East Thames 226 South East Thames 78 South West Thames 88 East Anglia 10 Wessex 506 Oxford 65 South Western 16 It is not possible to say when decisions will be taken on these proposals.