HC Deb 26 July 1985 vol 83 cc974-6W
Mr. Campbell

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many hospital beds and qualified nurses there are per head of population according to each health authority; and how this compares with each of the last 10 years.

Mr. Kenneth Clarke

[pursuant to his reply, 11 July, c. 582]: The available figures are shown in the tables. It should be noted that the number of inpatient cases treated in England rose from 5,132,000 in 1973 to 6,019,000 in 1983 and the number of cases treated per available bed rose from 12.7 to 17.5 over this period.

Region* 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983
Trent 7.1 7.1 7.1 7.1 7.0 6.9 6.9 6.7 6.7 6.6
East Anglian 7.4 7.3 7.4 7.3 7.1 7.0 7.0 6.9 6.8 6.8
North West Thames 9.2 9.0 8.9 8.5 8.3 8.1 7.9 7.8 7.5 7.3
North East Thames 8.5 8.4 8.4 8.2 8.0 7.8 7.6 7.6 7.8 7.7
South East Thames 8.5 8.7 8.5 8.4 8.1 7.9 7.7 7.6 7.5 7.4
South West Thames 10.7 10.0 9.8 9.6 9.2 8.9 8.6 8.4 8.2 8.0
Wessex 8.0 7.5 7.4 7.3 7.1 7.0 6.9 6.7 6.7 6.5
Oxford 7.0 6.6 6.6 6.3 6.1 6.0 5.8 5.7 5.5 5.4
South Western 9.2 8.8 8.5 8.3 8.2 8.0 7.9 7.8 7.7 7.6
West Midlands 7.5 7.3 7.3 7.2 7.1 7.0 6.9 6.8 6.8 6.7
Mersey 9.5 9.4 9.4 9.2 9.2 8.9 8.7 8.6 8.4 8.2
North Western 8.0 7.9 7.8 7.8 7.7 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6 7.6
England 8.5 8.3 8.2 8.1 7.9 7.7 7.6 7.5 7.4 7.3
* Because of NHS restructuring in 1974 and 1982 the regional figures are not strictly comparable over the whole period.

Table B
Hospital Nursing Staff*
Qualified nurses per head of population
Region† 1974 1975 1976 1977 1978 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983
Northern 3.1 3.4 3.2 3.3 3.5 3.7 3.8 4.0 4.1 4.2
Yorkshire 2.9 3.0 3.0 3.2 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.7 3.8 3.9
Trent 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 3.1 3.1 3.3 3.5 3.5
East Anglian 2.4 2.6 2.8 2.8 2.8 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4
North West Thames 3.1 3.1 3.4 3.4 3.6 3.5 3.6 4.1 4.0 3.9
North East Thames 2.8 3.0 3.2 3.4 3.8 3.3 3.6 3.7 4.2 4.4
South East Thames 2.9 3.0 3.4 3.6 3.6 3.6 3.7 3.9 4.0 4.1
South West Thames 3.3 3.4 3.7 3.6 3.6 3.7 3.7 3.9 3.9 4.0
Wessex 2.7 3.1 2.9 2.9 3.0 3.2 3.3 3.3 3.5 3.6
Oxford 2.5 2.5 2.5 2.6 2.7 2.8 2.9 3.0 3.1 3.1
South Western 2.8 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.7 4.0 3.9 3.9
West Midlands 2.4 2.4 2.6 2.8 2.9 2.9 3.1 3.3 3.5 3.6
Mersey 3.3 3.7 3.5 3.6 3.8 3.8 3.9 4.1 4.2 4.3
North Western 2.8 2.9 3.0 3.2 3.3 3.3 3.6 3.8 4.1 4.2
England 2.8 2.9 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.3 3.4 3.7 3.8 3.9

Notes:

* Includes hospital midwives; excludes agency nurses and midwives.

† Because of NHS restructuring in 1974 and 1982 the Regional figures are not strictly comparable over the period.

‡ Figures not adjusted for effect of reduction in working week.