§ Mr. Robin CookTo ask the Secretary of State for Health how many patients were treated in NHS hospitals in each year since 1970.
§ Mr. DorrellThe information requested is given in the table.
Hospital treatments (thousands) Year In-patient treatments day cases Outpatient treatments Discharges and deaths 1970 5,011 n/a 32,355 1971 5,170 n/a 33,129 1972 5,222 376 33,243 1973 5,132 409 33,317 1974 5,172 451 33,352 1975 4,976 421 30,947 1976 6,255 481 32,396 1977 5,345 536 33,282 1978 5,370 562 33,950 1979 5,400 592 34,100 1980 5,670 671 35,243 1981 5,760 714 35,571 1982 5,720 706 35,651 1983 6,019 813 36,520 1984 6,178 903 37,043 1985 6,354 963 37,440 1986 6,414 1,050 37,728 1987–88 6,619 881 36,874 1988–89 6,586 1,016 36,146 1988–89 7,335* 1,016 36,146 1989–90 7,447 1,163 36,336 * From 1988–89 onwards, in-patient activity has been measured in terms of Finished Consultant Episodes, including figures for well babies being cared for in hospital. Previous statistics did not count these babies.