§ Dr. FoxTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many delayed discharges there were of NHS patients on(a) 1 January, (b) 1 February, (c) 1 March, (d) 1 April and (e) 1 May; and how many NHS patients on each of those dates there were whose discharge had been delayed but who had fully funded social services packages arranged. [429]
§ Mr. HuttonInformation on delayed discharges of patients aged over 75 years in England is collected centrally on a quarterly basis. In December 2000 the number of over-75s whose discharge was delayed was 5,801 and in March 2001 this figure was 5,938. In December 2000, 35 per cent. of the people whose discharges were delayed were awaiting placement in a residential care or nursing home or awaiting arrangement of a package of care to allow them to return to their own home. In some cases patients will be exercising their right to await a place in a home of their choice. No information is collected on the funding arrangements for these packages. For March 2001 this figure was 37 per cent.
§ Ms ShipleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make a statement on the number of acute hospital beds which are unavailable to incoming patients as a result of their occupation by patients needing accommodation in a nursing home. [835]
§ Jacqui SmithInformation is not available centrally in the form requested. Information is collected for England on the number of people aged over 75 whose discharge is delayed awaiting a care home placement (residential28W care homes and nursing homes are not separately distinguished). In the last quarter of 2000–01 (the latest figures available), there were 1,703 such people. Some of these people will be exercising their right to await a place in a home of their choice.