§ Mr. Penhaligonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average daily availability of beds in acute specialties per 100,000 population in each regional health authority area in England and Wales.
§ Dr. OwenThe average daily number of available beds in acute specialties per 100,000 population in each English regional health area and in Wales in 1974 was as follows:
Northern 332.3 Yorkshire 327.5 Trent 238.2 E. Anglia 253.8 NW Thames 329.6 NE Thames 363.4 SE Thames 335.8 SW Thames 280.7 Wessex 252.1 Oxford 248.7 South Western 234.6 West Midlands 261.6 Mersey 367.9 North Western 329.7 England 297.9 Wales 341.6 NOTES. Acute specialties include all medical and surgical specialties, gynaecology and pre-convalescence. Acutely ill patients requiring specialised facilities are also treated in geriatric beds, which are excluded.
The figures do not include 2,554 beds in post-graduate teaching hospitals which are administered by London boards of governors and are not within the responsibilities of regional health authorities. These hospitals mainly serve the Thames Regions but also admit patients from other regions.
§ Mr. Penhaligonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is the average daily availability of pay beds in acute specialities per 100,000 population 757W in each regional health authority area in England and Wales.
§ Dr. OwenAny bed in an authorised hospital may be made available as a pay bed within the number approved for the hospital by the Secretary of State. The number of authorised pay beds per 100,000 population in regional health authority areas is:
RHA Mumber per 100,000 population Northern 5.40 Yorkshire 8.44 Trent 5.44 East Anglia 8.87 North West Thames 13.25 North East Thames 10.99 South East Thames 11.96 South West Thames 8.55 Wessex 7.28 Oxford 9.85 South Western 6.55 West Midlands 7.61 Mersey 6.55 North Western 8.22 ENGLAND* 8.95 Wales 2.17 ENGLAND AND WALES* 8.57 The numbers of pay beds in psychiatric and long-stay hospitals included in these figures is negligible. Notes: Figures are based on current pay bed authorisations and mid-1974 population estimates. * Pay beds in hospitals administered by Preserved Boards are included in rates for England and England and Wales only.