§ 37. Mr. Leslie Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether she will make a statement on geriatric bed provisions in Nuneaton hospitals; and how this compares with the standards prescribed by her Department.
§ Dr. OwenCurrent departmental guidance on geriatric bed provision is based on a standard of 10 beds per 1,000 population aged 65 and over. As indicated in my reply to my hon. Friend on 25th March—[Vol. 889, c. 78.]—there is estimated to be a shortfall of about 100 geriatric beds in the North Warwickshire (Nuneaton) health district. The regional and area health authorities have not yet completed their consideration of possible ways of meeting the shortfall.