HC Deb 25 March 1986 vol 94 cc453-4W
59. Mr. Chapman

asked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many in and outpatients, respectively, were treated in National Health Service hospitals during the last 12 months for which figures are available; and how these figures compare with previous years.

Mr. Whitney

In 1984, the latest year for which information is available centrally, National Health Service hospitals treated 6.2 million inpatient cases and dealt with 37 million outpatients attendances, including 8.5 million new outpatient attendances. A comparison with previous years is given by the following extract from table 1 of DHSS Statistical Bulletin 5/85, a copy of which is in the Library.

NHS Hospitals in England
Index, 1974=100
Year In-patient cases (discharges and deaths) Out-patients
New Total attendances
1974 100.0 100.0 100.0
*1975 96.2 88.5 92.8
1976 101.6 95.8 97.1
1977 103.4 97.3 99.8
1978 103.8 98.6 101.8
*1979 104.4 98.6 102.2
1980 109.6 101.5 105.7
1981 111.4 102.6 106.7

Year In-patient cases (discharges and deaths) Out-patients
New Total attendances
*1982 110.6 103.5 106.9
1983 116.4 106.2 109.5
1984 119.4 108.7 111.1
* Industrial action in these years restricted the number of cases treated.