§ Mr. Rogersasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many National Health Service hospitals have been opened in Northern Ireland; and what is the bed gain as a result of these openings, for each year since 1979.
§ Mr. NeedhamTwo Health Service hospitals have been opened in Northern Ireland since 1979, one in 1981 and one in 1985. There has been no bed gain as a result of the openings.
§ Mr. Rogersasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the numbers of staff employed by the National Health Service in Northern Ireland expressed as whole-time equivalents as well as actual full-time and part-time numbers.
76W
Average available beds in hospitals administered by the Health and Social Services Boards in Northern Ireland Specialty 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 General Medicine 1,555 1,564 1,628 .. 1,589 1,615 1,621 Chest Medicine 291 240 258 216 214 209 194 Neurology 120 118 140 .. 140 141 139 Sexually Transmitted Diseases 5 5 5 5 5 3 3 Rheumatology 67 68 68 68 68 67 68 Infectious Diseases 215 203 197 194 194 186 185 Dermatology 138 138 124 .. 119 121 120
§ Mr. NeedhamAt 31 December 1986, 47,870 whole-time equivalent staff were employed by the health and personal social services in Northern Ireland. The actual numbers of full-time and part-time staff were 36,570 and 27,766 respectively.
§ Mr. Rogersasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland how many National Health Service hospitals have been closed in Northern Ireland; and what is the total bed loss as a result of the closures, for each year since 1979.
§ Mr. NeedhamThe available information is as follows:
Number of Health Service hospitals closed Year Number 1979 Nil 1980 Nil 1981 2 1982 2 1983 1 1984 Nil 1985 1 1986 7 The services formerly provided at these hospitals have either transferred to new purpose-built accommodation or moved to more modern facilities on existing hospital sites. In 1979 the average total number of available hospital beds in Northern Ireland was 17,124 as compared with 16,595 in 1985—a bed reduction of 529.
§ Mr. Rogersasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what are the numbers of available beds in National Health Service hospitals in Northern Ireland for each year since 1979 expressed as totals and by specialty.
§ Mr. NeedhamThe information is as follows:
77W
Specialty 1979 1980 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 Cardiology 161 163 179 .. 176 174 174 Nephrology 1,773 1,799 19 .. 27 34 36 General Surgery 1,798 .. 1,775 1,731 1,784 Cardiac Surgery 20 21 21 21 21 Plastic Surgery 86 93 93 93 93 88 92 Thoracic Surgery 48 47 46 45 45 44 45 Neurosurgery 45 45 45 49 51 50 43 Trau and Orth Surgery 519 519 523 .. 530 531 530 ENT 319 309 320 .. 329 323 323 Ophthalmology 140 133 138 .. 124 124 123 Dentistry 12 12 14 .. 15 13 16 Radiotherapy 107 106 97 96 96 96 96 Gynaecology 506 528 532 .. 535 527 536 Obstetrics (ante and post natal) 724 732 741 .. 735 740 737 Sick Babies (including premature) 195 194 198 .. 208 218 218 GP Maternity 185 185 190 176 157 142 156 GP Other 134 139 144 138 140 106 108 Paediatric Medicine 374 381 307 .. 356 344 353 Child Psychiatry 20 20 20 21 20 20 20 Mental illness 4,869 4,757 4,732 .. 4,704 4,571 4,449 Mental Handicap 1,538 1,533 1,535 .. 1,501 1,490 1,472 Elderly Mentally Infirm 2,481 2,528 8 8 8 8 9 Young Chronic Sick 71 71 73 73 72 Geriatric Medicine 2,509 .. 2,604 2,592 2,575 Convalescent 72 72 47 47 43 42 47 Rehabilitation 6 6 6 6 6 5 6 Staff Wards 23 31 31 .. 31 25 7 Accident and Emergency 40 41 44 .. 36 36 35 Unclassified 90 87 67 .. 83 81 62 Other Specialist Units 164 164 129 131 125 124 120 Amenity Beds1 102 102 TOTAL 17,124 17,062 17,023 .. 16,976 16,715 16.595 1 From 1981 amenity beds are included under the appropriate specialty. ..Data not available due to industrial action.