§ Mr. AltonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the ending of topping up payments to voluntary and privately run homes for the aged; what alternative arrangements will be made for residents unable to afford the cost of remaining in their present accommodation; and what assessment he has made of how much additional money district health authorities will need to find if they now seek to meet the cost of topping up payments.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThere has been no change in the type of arrangements which health authorities may make with independent sector homes caring for elderly people and how these relate to individual residents' eligibility for social security benefits. A recent executive letter to health authorities, EL(91)108, restated the long standing legal position, a copy of the letter is available in the Library.
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§ Mr. George HowarthTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he has any plans to visit Mossley Hill hospital to discuss the run-down of hospital places for elderly people and their transfer to Kelton Grange.
§ Mr. DorrellNo.
§ Mr. Frank FieldTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will list the number of(a) residential care homes and (b) nursing homes in operation for each year since 1979.
§ Mrs. Virginia BottomleyThe numbers of residential care homes (registered homes and local authority homes) and private nursing homes, hospitals and clinics in England for each year from 1979 are shown in the table.
Residential care homes Nursing homes hospitals and clinics 1979 7,167 — 1980 7,565 — 1981 — — 1982 — 1,214 1983 9,131 1,316 1984 10,009 1,491 1985 11,363 1,833 1986 12,552 2,266 1987 13,800 (1987–88) 2,821 1988 14,684 (1988–89) 3,288 1989 16,026 (1989–90) 3,746 1990 16,743 — Notes:
No reliable data is held in respect of residential care homes for 1981 or 1982.
Figures in respect of residential care homes are as at 31 March each year. From 1987 onwards they include homes dealing primarily with alcohol and drug misusers and others, about which data was not previously collected.
Prior to 1982 information was not collected centrally in respect of nursing homes.