§ Mr. Nobleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he is satisfied with the number of beds available for geriatric care in Rossendale general hospital.
§ Mr. MoyleThere are 297 geriatric beds in the Burnley health district of which 61 are at Rossendale general hospital. This compares with the figure of about 400 beds which would be suggested by the Department's guidelines for the population served. The North-Western region has for many years had less than its fair share of National Health Service resources. The method by which we allocate resources between regions has been designed to remove progressively this historic inequality, but it will inevitably take time to achieve a satisfactory level of service for the elderly and other groups throughout the region.
§ Mr. Nobleasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many beds are available for geriatric care per 1,000 population in Rossendale, at the Rossendale general hospital; and how this compares with the average for (a) the North-West and (b) England and Wales.
§ Mr. MoyleFollowing is the information:
Number of geriatric beds per 1,000 population (1977 estimates) aged 65 and over Burnley health district 7.6 North-Western region 8.4 England and Wales 8.3 Elderly people living in Rossendale are admitted to hospitals throughout the Burnley health district and it is not therefore meaningful to give figures for Rossendale alone.