§ Mr. Les Huckfieldasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many geriatric beds there are in relation to population for the north Warwickshire district health authority, and the other district health authorities covering main population centres for the west midlands; and if he will make a statement on the relative level of provision in north Warwickshire.
§ Mr. Geoffrey FinsbergThe latest available figures for the average number of available geriatric beds and the total populations for the 22 districts in the West Midlands regional health authority are set out in the following table.
North Warwickshire health authority has a new geriatric unit at the George Eliot hospital, Nuneaton, with 81 beds and 50 day places, which was brought into use in September 1982, plus a further ward with 27 beds which re-opened earlier this year. North Warwickshire also has an arrangement with Coventry health authority for the use of 50 beds at High View hospital, Exhall.
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Average available beds 1981 Population (OPCS 1981) 000's Hereford 221.0 149.4 Bromsgrove and Redditch 79.7 155.2 Kidderminster 144.0 99.7 Worcester 224.2 230.4 Shropshire 637.8 382.1 Mid Staffordshire 258.4 298.9 North Staffordshire 665.1 466.7 South East Staffordshire 183.8 250.1 South Warwickshire 282.9 214.7 North Warwickshire 58.0 172.9 Rugby 73.2 86.9 Central Birmingham 53.7 247.1 East Birmingham 196.0 149.7
Average available beds 1981 Population (OPCS 1981) 000's North Birmingham 369.1 164.3 South Birmingham 662.9 251.4 West Birmingham 541.4 209.8 Coventry 417.1 318.6 Dudley 296.0 307.7 Sandwell 221.8 309.9 Solihull 38.0 198.5 Walsall 198.0 267.5 Wolverhampton 260.2 256.5