§ Mr. Fauldsasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many geriatric beds are at present available in the Birmingham Regional Hospital Board area; how many of these are in general hospitals, geriatric hospitals and community hospitals respectively; what plans have been submitted to him by the board to increase the number of available geriatric beds; and what increase he has approved.
§ Mr. AlisonThere are 6,468 geriatric beds in the region, representing 10.47 beds per 1,000 elderly population; the Department's recommended planning norm is 10 per 1,000. One thousand 247W four hundred and forty-nine of these are in general hospitals, 3,436 in geriatric hospitals, 1,519 in hospitals concerned wholly or mainly with long-stay patients and 64 in other hospitals. The board's long-term plans for the development of geriatric services, at present under discussion with the Department, include the provision of new units and improvements in existing facilities. They take into account the need, as resources permit, to introduce into district general hospitals a higher proportion of the geriatric beds required in each district and have regard to the need for flexibility to take account of the Department's forthcoming guidance on the development of community hospitals.