HC Deb 26 October 1979 vol 972 c338W
Mr. Loveridge

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give an estimate of the proportion of patients that is treated in the smaller cottage and community hospitals compared with that treated at district and general hospitals; and if he will give the proportions of surgical operations performed in each group and the percentage of acute beds in each group.

Dr. Vaughan

The hospital classification scheme under which statistics are collected by the Department does not identify hospitals as "cottage", "community" or "district general". Using available classifications, some estimate could be made of the number of patients treated in hospitals in particular size ranges, but the cost involved would be considerable.