Hospital Beds (Hansard, 6 June 1978)

§ Mr. George
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will list the shortage of beds by speciality for (a) Walsall Area Health Authority and (b) the area health authority of each of the 14 authorities under the Inner Urban Areas Bill.

§ Mr. Moyle
In assessing the adequacy of hospital provision, area health authorities take into account the size and characteristics of the population served; the availability within the area of beds, day care facilities etc.; the availability

Number per 1,000 population^*

Area General medical practitioners‡ General dental practitioners‡ Health visitors║ Social workers¶

Walsall 0.42 0.14 0.16 0.22

Barnsley 0.41 0.14 0.14 0.12

Cleveland† 0.39 0.15 0.13 0.34

Doncaster 0.41 0.15 0.15 0.19

Lancashire† 0.40 0.19 0.17 0.25

Rochdale 0.39 0.21 0.24 0.20

Rotherham 0.35 0.17 0.14 0.23

St. Helens and Knowsley† 0.37 0.17 0.16 0.13

Sandwell 0.46 0.22 0.15 0.24

Sefton 0.41 0.24 0.19 0.28

Wigan 0.39 0.16 0.17 0.24

Brent and Harrow† 0.54 0.42 0.17 0.32

Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow† 0.52 0.37 0.19 0.36

Enfield and Haringey† 0.49 0.31 0.13 0.29

Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth† 0.50 0.31 0.22 0.40

^* The population figures used are the estimated civilian population at 30th June 1976.

† Figures are not available for Hartlepool, Blackburn, St. Helens, Brent, Ealing, Haringey and Wandsworth. The figures shown are the closest available.

‡ Based on number at 1st July 1976.

§ Based on number at 30th September 1976.

║ Based on the whole-time equivalent at 30th September 1976 and includes health visitors in the school health service and TB visitors with a health visitors certificate.

¶ Based on whole-time equivalent of qualified and unqualified staff at 30th September 1976. Senior social workers are not included.

The whole-time equivalent of nurses and midwives per 1,000 population in the hospital service in the areas listed is not available.

§ Mr. George
asked the Secretary of State for Social Services what are the numbers per 1,000 population of the following: retail pharmacies, family planning clinics,
102W
of personal social services in the area; and the availability of services in neighbouring areas accessible to people living in the area. There are no nationally prescribed norms against which shortages of beds by specialty could be assessed, nor would an arithmetical "shortage" of beds necessarily to be a true indicator of the pressures on local health services. To provide the information requested for the fifteen areas mentioned in the Question would involve disproportionate effort and expense.

Number per 1,000 population^*
Area	General medical practitioners‡	General dental practitioners‡	Health visitors║	Social workers¶
Walsall	0.42	0.14	0.16	0.22
Barnsley	0.41	0.14	0.14	0.12
Cleveland†	0.39	0.15	0.13	0.34
Doncaster	0.41	0.15	0.15	0.19
Lancashire†	0.40	0.19	0.17	0.25
Rochdale	0.39	0.21	0.24	0.20
Rotherham	0.35	0.17	0.14	0.23
St. Helens and Knowsley†	0.37	0.17	0.16	0.13
Sandwell	0.46	0.22	0.15	0.24
Sefton	0.41	0.24	0.19	0.28
Wigan	0.39	0.16	0.17	0.24
Brent and Harrow†	0.54	0.42	0.17	0.32
Ealing, Hammersmith and Hounslow†	0.52	0.37	0.19	0.36
Enfield and Haringey†	0.49	0.31	0.13	0.29
Merton, Sutton and Wandsworth†	0.50	0.31	0.22	0.40
^* The population figures used are the estimated civilian population at 30th June 1976.
† Figures are not available for Hartlepool, Blackburn, St. Helens, Brent, Ealing, Haringey and Wandsworth. The figures shown are the closest available.
‡ Based on number at 1st July 1976.
§ Based on number at 30th September 1976.
║ Based on the whole-time equivalent at 30th September 1976 and includes health visitors in the school health service and TB visitors with a health visitors certificate.
¶ Based on whole-time equivalent of qualified and unqualified staff at 30th September 1976. Senior social workers are not included.
The whole-time equivalent of nurses and midwives per 1,000 population in the hospital service in the areas listed is not available.