HC Deb 22 October 1991 vol 196 cc589-90W
Mr. Pawsey

To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many(a) in-patients and (b) out-patients were treated in the national health service for the last year that figures are available; and what were the comparable figures in 1979.

Mr. Dorrell

The available information is given in the table.

Number of in-patients and out-patients treated in National Health Service hospitals in England
In-patients Out-patients
Year Discharges and deaths Finished consultant episodes1
1979 5,400,120 34,089,725
1988–89 6,585,982 7,335,448 36,061,032
1990–91 27,524,192 236,058,803
1 Includes well babies.
2 Provisional.