HC Deb 22 March 1984 vol 56 c580W
Mr. Gordon Brown

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services (1) how many day patient attendances there were by geriatric patients to hopitals in 1983 and in each year preceding from 1979;

(2) how many day patient attendances at hospitals there were in total in 1983 and in each year from 1979.

Mr. John Patten

The current definition of regular day patients includes both patients admitted to a hospital bed on a planned regular basis and patients who attend a day care facility which is not equipped with hospital beds. The available information for 1979 to 1982 is given in the table. Figures for 1983 are not yet available.

Total number of attendances by regular day patients at National Health Service hospitals in England
Year All specialties Geriatrics
1979 4,693,002 1,167,483
1980 5,289,033 1,474,428
1981 5,416,128 1,504,251
1982 5,329,461 1,504,323