§ Mr. HoyleTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what changes to the number of(a) private care beds and (b) council care beds he expects to occur in Chorley council area over the next five years; [87048]
(2) how many care beds there are in the Chorley council area; and how many he estimates there will be in each year from 2003 to 2008. [87047]
876W
General Medical and Ophthalmic Practitioner Retirements Year Before 60 III-health only Total 1997 112 181 293 1998 150 172 322 1999 112 143 255 2000 84 141 225 2001 183 147 330 2002 184 172 356 Total 1514 2644 4158 The number of unrestricted principals and equivalents (UPEs) who left English Health Authorities from October 1996 to March 2002 is shown in the table.
§ Jacqui SmithInformation is not available for Chorley council area.
At 31 March 2001 there were 11,600 residential care beds in Lancashire local authority and 1,700 nursing care beds in south Lancashire health authority. Data for 2002 are not yet available.
Forecasts of the number of care home places are not made centrally.
On 23 July 2002, my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State announced additional funding to provide more help for older people. The funding is intended to support 6,000 more care home places in England by March 2006.