§ 38. Mr. Tim Smithasked the Secretary of State for Social Services which regional health authority has the best utilisation of beds and which has the worst; and by how much those authorities have improved their performance since 1979.
§ Mrs. CurrieInter-regional comparisons should be treated with some caution given the differing age structure and range of provision. however, information in terms of the number of in-patient cases treated for each available bed in 1985, the latest year for which figures are available centrally, is given in the table.
In-patient cases treated per available bed, NHS hospitals 1985 1979 Percentage change 1979–1985 Acute specialties Highest throughput in 1985, Oxford RHA 38.6 31.6 +22 Lowest throughput in 1985, Yorkshire RHA 34.4 27.6 +25 All specialties Highest throughput in 1985, Oxford RHA 23.7 18.4 +29 Lowest throughput in 1985, SW Thames RHA1 15.5 11.9 +30 1 Figures are not strictly comparable because of the effects of NHS restructuring in 1982.