§ Simon HughesTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) general and (b) acute beds were open overnight in each English region in each of the last 10 years; [137364]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 10 November2003]: The NHS Plan set a target of 2,100 extra general and acute beds. By 2002–03, an additional 1,600 were in place representing over three quarters of the target set out in the NHS Plan.
Information on the number of available beds by ward classification is collected from each National Health Service trust. An available bed is one that is open and staffed at midnight. Figures for beds in wards classified as acute and geriatric (general) for England for the last ten years are shown in the table.
Year Acute Geriatric 1993–94 109,713 37,440 1994–95 108,008 36,795 1995–96 108,296 34,328 1996–97 108,869 31,646 1997–98 107,807 30,240 1998–99 107,729 28,697 1999–00 107,218 27,862 2000–01 107,956 27,838 2001–02 108,535 28,047 2002–03 108,706 27,973 Source:
Department of Health form KH03.
Information for the period 1993–94 to 1999–00 aggregated to the 8 Regional Office areas is available in Summary of Bed Availability, England copies of which are in the Library. Information for 2000–01 is available from the Department of Health website http://www.doh.gov.uk/hospitalactivity. Any information on beds published after the abolition of regional offices in April 2002 is not available at a regional level.