HC Deb 12 February 1988 vol 127 cc407-8W
Mr. Gordon Brown

To ask the Secretary of State for Social Services if he will give the numbers of beds in National Health Service hospitals(a) reserved solely for the use of private patients, (b) sometimes used for private patients and (c) never used for private patients, for the years 1979 and 1987; and if he will give for 1987 the percentage occupancy of beds under each category.

Mrs. Currie

[holding answer 28 January 1988]: I am sorry I cannot give the hon. Member all the information he seeks. The available information is given in the tables. Authorised pay beds are rarely used exclusively by private patients.

Beds for NHS and private patients in NHS hospitals, 1979 and 1986 (England)
Year Average daily available beds Average daily occupied beds Percentage bed occupancy
1979 361,670 293,272 81.1
1986 315,714 254,597 80.6

Authorised pay beds in NHS hospitals, 1979 and 1986 (England)
Year Authorised pay beds at 31 December Average daily occupancy by private patients Percentage bed occupancy by private patients
1979 3,171 1,508 47.6
1986 2,980 958 32.1