Lord Lucasasked Her Majesty's Government:
What has been the number of outpatients (general and acute sector) each year since 1970.
§ Baroness Jay of PaddingtonThe information is shown in the following table.
Table: Total number of outpatient attendances (general and acute) in NHS hospitals (000's) Year England Scotland Wales Northern Ireland Yearly Total 1970 26,917 3,107 1,393 — 31,417 1971 27,660 3,068 1,425 — 32,153 1972 27,947 2,993 1,445 — 32,385 1973 28,082 2,989 1,447 — 32,518 1974 28,272 3,261 1,491 — 33,024 1975 26,024 3,229 1,401 — 30,654 1976 27,434 3,263 1,478 — 32,175 1977 28,248 3,325 1,489 — 33,062 1978 28,647 3,311 1,494 — 33,452 1979 28,643 3,339 1,509 — 33,491 1980 29,635 3,389 1,587 — 34,611 1981 30,063 3,482 1,651 938 36,134 1982 30,257 3,505 1,649 — 35,411 1983 31,171 3,397 1,771 1,012 37,351 1984 31,702 3,617 1,817 1,056 38,192 1985 32,088 3,680 1,888 1,106 38,762 1986 32,414 3,752 1,946 1,119 39,231 1987–88 31,880 3,783 1,987 1,128 38,778 1988–89 31,420 3,833 1,985 1,092 38,330 1989–90 31,612 3,856 2,015 1,110 38,593 1990–91 31,400 3,912 2,014 1,108 38,434 1991–92 32,258 3,943 2,063 1,129 39,393 1992–93 33,048 4,009 2,134 1,147 40,338 1993–94 33,821 4,083 2,238 1,157 41,299 1994–95 34,932 4,115 2,287 1,215 42,549 1995–96 35,874 4,182 2,296 1,217 43,569 Notes:
England:
Moved to counting over the financial year rather than calendar year from 1987–88.
Scotland:
Figures for 1971 are estimates based on data for 8 months ending 31 March 1971.
Wales:
Moved to counting over the financial year rather than calendar year from 1983–84.
Northern Ireland:
Moved to counting over the financial year rather than calendar year from 1988–89.
Complete information is not available for 1982 due to an industrial dispute.
Information before 1981, if available, can only be provided at disproportionate cost.