§ 39. Mr. Carmichaelasked the Secretary of State for Scotland how many geriatric and psychogeriatric beds are available for use in the Glasgow area; how many patients are on the waiting list for such beds; and what future plans he has to meet this need in physical and nursing terms.
§ Mr. FairgrieveThe number of geriatric beds in the Greater Glasgow health board area at 31 March 1979 was 2,272. The number on the waiting list for geriatric accommodation at 31 August 1979 was 277. No comprehensive estimate of psychogeriatric as opposed to psychiatric beds is available and there are no separate psychogeriatric waiting list figures.
The health board is providing 420 beds in system-built units at existing hospitals—270 for geriatric patients and 150 for psychogeriatric. In addition, planning is proceeding on a number of schemes in the major capital building programme to provide a total of 360 geriatric beds and 360 designated psychogeriatric beds.
The question of nurse staffing is being pursued activitely by the board and I understand that staff have already been recruited for a number of the system-built units.