HC Deb 19 November 1990 vol 181 c49W
Mr. Cohen

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the number of national health service beds in use in(a) the acute sector and (b) totally in each year from 1979 to 1989; and what is the current figure.

Mr. Dorrell

The information requested is given in the table. The latest available figures show that in 1989–90 almost 7.5 million in-patient cases were treated. On a comparable basis, just over 6 million in-patient cases were treated in 1979—a rise of nearly 25 per cent.

Average daily available beds in England
Acute sector (Thousands) Total (Thousands)
1979 149 362
1980 146 356
1981 145 352
1982 144 348
1983 142 343
1984 139 335
1985 136 325
1986 133 316
1987–88 128 297
1988–89 123 281
1989–90 121 270

Source:

SH3 return 1979–1986

KHO3 return 1987–88—1989–90

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