§ 8. Mr. David MartinTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total number of patients treated by the National Health Service in 1979 and in the latest available year.
§ Mr. MellorBetween 1979 and 1987–88 more than 1 million more in-patient cases were treated in National Health Service hospitals in England, a rise of 22 per cent. from 5.40 million to 6.62 million cases. In the same period provisional figures suggest that day cases have risen by 71 per cent. from 592,000 to more than 1 million, and new out-patient attendances by 10 per cent.