§ Rev. Ian PaisleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what data he has on the current occupancy of hospital beds in all general medical units, geriatric units and psycho-geriatric units; how many additional patients have been accommodated outside these wards; how these have changed since 1 April 1993; and what are the budgetary implications of these figures.
§ Mr. AncramThe occupancy rates for the hospital specialties requested for the two quarters from April 1993 to 30 September 1993, the latest dates for which information is available, is as follows:
Consultants main specialty1 Average occupancy Per cent (1 April 1993–30 June 1993) Per cent. (1 July 1990–30 September 1993) General medicine 81.4 78.3 Geriatric medicine 83.2 83.5 Old age psychiatry 86.2 82.7 1 All patients under the care of the consultant are included in the above figures regardless of ward location. The other information requested is not available.