§ Mr. Allenasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what steps will be taken to maintain services if the proposed privatisation of the Nottingham city hospital campus is implemented; and if he will make a statement.
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§ Mr. NewtonI assume the hon. Member is referring to the process whereby health authorities put their cleaning, catering and laundry services to competitive tender. I understand that this exercise has been completed for both catering and cleaning services (with the contracts awarded in-house) and that tenders will be invited in the autumn for the laundry service. These processes are fully compatible with the maintenance of services needed to run the hospital.
Average daily number of available beds for geriatric and psychogeriatric specialties 1982 1983 1984 1985 11986 Gateshead District Health Authority 234.4 228.6 229.4 238.1 234.4 England 61,858.9 62,818.5 63,774.3 65,911.8 64,986.5 Average daily number of available beds in England per 10,000 population 13.2 13.4 13.6 14.0 13.8 1 Provisional figures.