§ Lord Hill of Lutonasked Her Majesty's Government:
How the figures were arrived at in the statement in Appendix II of the paper on the Future Pattern of Hospital Services in England the "current policy is that 50 per cent. of geriatric beds should be in district general hospitals with an interim target of 30 per cent."
§ Lord TrefgarneThese figures were derived from departmental guidance issued in 1971 which suggested that, in the circumstances prevailing at that time and within an overall guideline of 10 beds per 1,000 population aged 65 and over, five beds (50 per cent.) was a desirable level for acute geriatric and active rehabilitation provision in the district general hospital. The interim target of 30 per cent. of geriatric beds in the district general hospital was proposed in the 1976 consultation paper,Priorities for Health and Personal Social Services in England. In the document to which the noble Lord refers we have set out the implications for these and other guidelines of our proposals for reducing the previously planned concentration of services in district general hospitals. The possibility of revised guidance to health authorities is being considered in the light of responses to that document.