§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what information he collects centrally on hospital waiting lists for beds for geriatric and psychogeriatric patients; and if he will publish the figures for the Tayside health board and for Scotland overall.
§ Mr. John MacKayThis information is collected centrally, at the end of March and the end of September each year, together with information about waiting lists in other specialities. At 30 September 1981, the latest date for which central statistics are available, the waiting list figures for Tayside health board and Scotland overall were as follows:
Assessment Long-stay Geriatric Pschogeriatric Tayside health board 45 64 67 Scotland 1,203 385 779 It should be noted that the basis on which waiting lists are maintained varies between different health boards.
§ Mr. Ernie Rossasked the Secretary of State for Scotland what guidance he has issued to health boards as to criteria in terms of hospital beds per 1,000 of population over 75 years for psychogeriatric patients.
§ Mr. John MacKayMy right hon. Friend has not given specific guidance to health boards on the number of hospital beds which should be provided per thousand of the population over 75 years for pschogeriatric patients. He has recommended, however, that boards should follow the recommendations in the report "Scottish Health Authorities Priorities for the Eighties". Services for the elderly with mental disability are in the group of services to which the report recommends top priority should be given.