§ Mr. HammondTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what data his Department collects from local authorities regarding availability of nursing and residential care beds in their areas; how often that information is collected and collated; and in what form it is published. [142811]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 15 December 2000]: National Statistics are collected and published on an annual basis on the numbers of residential and nursing care homes and the places or registered beds as at 31 March. Aggregated counts of residential care homes and places within these homes by primary client type and sector of provider are collected from local authorities. Aggregated counts of the number of private nursing homes, hospitals and clinics and the registered beds by type of home, primary client type and broad category of use are collected from health authorities. Both sets of collections identify homes that are registered to provide both residential and nursing care (i.e. dual registered homes). Some information is also collected from individual residential and nursing homes on the facilities available, number of occupied places and nursing staff. Collection of this information is linked to the main pre-announced annual inspection.
Information is published in both electronic and paper form, the most recent relating to the position as at 31 March 2000, in the Statistical Bulletin "Community Care Statistics 2000: Residential Personal Social Services for Adults". Copies are available in the Library and are available at the Department of Health website at http://www.doh.gov.uk/public/sb0028.htm.