HC Deb 18 October 1982 vol 29 cc66-7W
Mr. Hordern

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will publish a table showing the number of geriatric patients in hospital in England and Wales in 1952, 1962, 1972 and in each of the most recent five years

Discharges and Deaths from Geriatric Departments in NHS hospitals in England and Wales 1952–1980
Year 1952* 1962 1972† 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980
Elderly patients 104,053 88,974 199,096 214,632 238,803 244,471 257,261 258,819 285,633
As percentage of all deaths and discharges 2.91 2.03 3.59 4.05 4.27 4.30 4.50 4.50 4.77

Notes:

*Before 1958, younger chronic sick patients were included with elderly patients.

†Figures before 1972 are not strictly comparable with those for 1972 and subsequent years, because of changes in specialty definitions.