§ Mr. PickthallTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what is the average cost of keeping an elderly infirm person(a) in hospital and (b) in a residential care home. [24402]
§ Mr. BowisThe cost per patient week for the geriatric specialty is provisionally estimated at £791.42 in 1993–94, the latest year for which figures are available. This amount does not include expenditure on people over 65 who use acute hospital services or community health services, as such expenditure is not apportioned according to age. In the same year, the average expenditure by local authorities for each supported resident in residential care homes for elderly people was approximately £260 per week. Comparisons of costs between types of care should be treated with caution as dependency levels and other characteristics will vary considerably.