Community-based Services

HC Deb 19 July 2001 vol 372 c445W

Mr. Frank Field

To ask the Secretary of State for Health what proportion of people aged 65 years and over receive community-based services. [5218]

Jacqui Smith

As at 31 March 2000 (the latest date for which data are available), an average of 8.5 per cent. of people in England aged 65 years and over were in receipt of community-based social services provided or commissioned by local authorities.

In 1999–2000, the latest year for which information is available, it is estimated that 21 per cent. of people aged 65 and over were receiving care from the district nursing service, 2 per cent. from health visitors and 2 per cent. from the community psychiatric nursing service. Contact with the community learning disability service for this age group was negligible. We do not hold data centrally on the proportion of people aged 65 and over who receive primary care-based services.