§ Mr. HinchliffeTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what is the incidence of spinal cord injury; [49724]
(2) how many people with spinal cord injury were awaiting admission into a spinal injury Unit in each year from 1990 to 1997; [49725]
(3) what is the total number of beds in spinal injury units; [49726]
(4) how many people with spinal cord injuries waiting for a bed in a spinal injury unit were (a) dealt with in the community and (b) admitted to a district general hospital in each year between 1990 and 1997; [49727]
(5) what assessment he has made of the protocol for the treatment of spinal cord injuries drawn up by the Spinal Injuries Association. [49898]
§ Ms JowellInformation on the incidence of spinal cord injury is not held centrally. However, estimates based upon the number of hospital admissions suggest that there are about 400 new cases of spinal cord injury in England each year. We know this figure is an overestimate, since spinal injury patients who are transferred to Spinal Injuries Units in other trusts will count as two admissions.
Data on waiting times for individual procedures are not collected centrally. Information on people waiting for a bed in a spinal injury unit and where they were treated is not available.
1995–96 was the last financial year in which bed data were collected separately for spinal unit wards. In 1996–97, beds in spinal units were added to beds in other units and classified as "Younger Physically Disabled". The information is given in the table. Information on beds is 418W contained in the publication "Bed availability and occupancy for England", copies of which are available in the Library.
Table: Average daily number of available beds in Younger Physically Disabled wards, open night and day (ie 24 hours) England, 1995–96 and 1996–97 1995–96 1995–96 1996–97 1996–97 Number Per cent. Number Per cent. Number Younger Physically Disabled 1,364 100 11,294 100 Spinal Unit 221 16.2 — — Other 1.143 83.8 — — 1Figure includes spinal units and other units Source
1. Bed Availability for England, 1995–96
2. Bed Availability for England, 1996–97
The Department is aware of the protocol drawn up by the Spinal Injuries Association. At present, the drawing up of guidelines for good practice in any area of medicine, including spinal injury, is a matter for the Medical Royal Colleges.