HC Deb 16 June 1993 vol 226 c650W
Mr. Barry Jones

To ask the Secretary of State for Wales (1) how many acute beds have been lost in Wales since 1979, expressed by number and as a percentage;

(2) how many (a) hospital beds and (b) acute hospital beds there were in Wales in (i) 1979 and (ii) at the latest date for which figures are available; and what is (ii) as a percentage of (i);

(3) how many hospital beds have been closed since 1979.

Mr. Gwilym Jones

The information is as follows:

Average daily beds in NHS hospitals
Change
1979 1991–92 Number Per cent.
Acute beds1 10,133.3 8,834.7 -1,298.6 -12.8
All hospital beds 23,456.1 18,640.3 -4,815.8 -20.5
Acute beds as a percentage of all beds 43.2 47.4
Inpatient cases treated 349,695 500,336 150,641 43.1
1 Excludes geriatric, maternity, mental handicap and mental illness beds.