§ 52. Mr. Newensasked the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give a list of closures of hospitals and hospital wards which have been announced or have 129W taken effect since the commencement of the dispute over hospital pay but which are not a consequence of that dispute.
§ Mr. Kenneth ClarkeFrom 30 April to 30 September 1982, the latest date for which information is available, the permanent closure or part closure of the following hospitals were approved. These decisions may not yet have been implemented. None were a consequence of the current dispute but are the result of rationalisation of services to release resources for better patient care. Some are part of the continuous process of replacing old or unsuitable hospitals with modern ones. Comprehensive information on temporary closures is not available centrally.
Region and Hospital Total number of beds Proposed number beds closed South Western Perranporth 31 31 West Midlands Ludlow and district hospital 21 21 Trent Markfield hospital 119 119 West Midlands Kidderminster general hospital 263 44 East Anglia Bowthorpe hospital 40 20