HC Deb 02 March 1981 vol 1000 c35W
Mr. Colvin

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many surgical beds are available in the United Kingdom, broken down by National Health Service and private sector.

Dr. Vaughan

During 1979, the average daily number of surgical beds available in NHS hospitals in the United Kingdom was just over 97,000. This information is not kept centrally in the form requested in respect of private hospitals. We estimate, however, the number of acute medical and surgical beds in private hospitals in the United Kingdom to be about 5,600.