§ 28. Mr. Stonehouseasked the Secretary of State for Social Services what is her Department's view of the number of hospital beds which are required for the full efficiency of the National Health Service.
§ Dr. OwenThe number of beds needed depends on clinical practice, support facilities, complementary services in the community and other factors which vary from area to area. In some places more beds are needed, in others less. The national total is likely to continue to decline, but the cost of attempting to calculate an optimum national figure would be disproportionate to its value.