§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what information he has received over the last six months from local authorities and health authorities regarding(a) capacity in nursing homes and residential care homes, (b) changes in time taken to find suitable care home spaces for patients discharged from hospital and (c) local and regional variations in (i) care home capacity and (ii) hospital discharge times. [137121]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 9 November 2000]: National Statistics, relating to 31 March 2000, on the number of residential care and nursing home places/ registered beds were published in the Statistical Bulletin "Community Care Statistics 2000: Residential Personal 888W Social Services for Adults, England" on 28 November. As part of securing effective planning for the coming winter the social services inspectorate has asked directors of social services for an indication of changes in the supply of residential care and nursing home places available in their areas.
Information on the length of delay in discharging patients to care homes is not collected centrally. Information is collected for England on the percentage of over-75s whose discharge is delayed awaiting a care home placement, some of whom will be exercising their right to await a place in a home of their choice. For the second quarter of 2000 (the latest figures available) this was 3.8 per cent., a total of 1757 individuals.
The community care statistics 2000 referred to show the breakdown of residential care and nursing home places/registered beds at health and local authority level. Laing and Buisson's Care of Elderly People Market Survey 2000 shows the occupancy rate in private nursing and residential homes, by region, in March 2000.
Information on hospital discharge times is not collected centrally.