HC Deb 24 June 2002 vol 387 cc723-4W
Mr. Edward Davey

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) intermediate care beds and (b) registered care homes there were in (i) London and (ii) Kingston borough in (A) 1997 and (B) 2001; and if he will make a statement. [60076]

Jacqui Smith

There are no intermediate care figures for 1997. This is a new service and a new data collection. The only figures available are for May 2002. There are 92 intermediate care beds in total in Kingston. 55 beds at Tolworth hospital, 29 at Surbiton hospital and eight beds at Hobrick house residential home. The total number of London beds for 2001–02 was 939. Kingston has an above average number of beds for their population compared to other London boroughs.

Previous data had been collected at health authority level.

The table shows the number of registered residential and nursing care homes, private hospitals and clinics in Kingston and London area in 1997 and 2001.

Registered residential1 and nursing2 care homes in Kingston and

London areas in 1997 and 2001

Number
1997 2001
At 31 March Kingston London Kingston London
Residential care homes

of which:

67 2,213 63 2,239
Local authority staffed homes 5 299 5 241
Independent homes 62 1,914 58 1998
Dual registered homes 4 44 2 86
Nursing homes3,4

of which:

19 406 20 462
General and mental nursing homes 17 330 16 347
Private nursing homes and clinics 2 76 4 115
Total care homes 90 2,663 85 2,787
1 Homes registered within Kingston-upon-Thames local authority,

exclude children homes.

2 Homes registered within Kingston and Richmond health authority.
3 Registered general and mental nursing homes, private hospitals and clinics.
4 Figures for registered nursing homes relates to the period 1 October 1996 to 31 March 1997.

Source:

Department of Health's annual returns.

Good progress is being made towards meeting the NHS Plan target of 5,000 additional intermediate care beds by 2003–04. The target of 1,500 additional intermediate care beds by March 2002 has been met comfortably and as a result London has benefited from more intermediate care beds. A proportion of these additional beds will be in independent care homes.

Intermediate care is not a single service model—it is a range of services that can be provided in a range of settings to meet the individual needs of service users and their carers—the key is the principle of patient centred care and the assessment process that underpins it. The appropriate settings can include designated rehabilitation facilities, nursing and residential homes, sheltered housing, a range of community based options and, of course, people's own homes.

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