§ Dr. Evan HarrisTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) what research he has made into the(a) likelihood and (b) scale of bed shortages across London this winter; and if he will place a copy of such research in the Library; [13117]
(2) what action he has taken to minimise the effects of bed shortages in hospitals in (a) London and (b) elsewhere in the United Kingdom this winter; what guidelines he has issued; and if he will make a statement. [13115]
§ Mr. Hutton[holding answer 7 November 2001]: I apologise to the hon. Member for the delay in responding to this question. I refer him to the reply that my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State gave my hon. Friend the Member for Blackpool, North and Fleetwood (Mrs. Humble) on 5 March 2002, Official Report, column 192W.
Health service circular 2001/014/local authority circular (2001)017 published in July 2001 gave guidance to the national health service in England on planning capacity. Under this guidance all health authorities established local capacity planning groups to plan capacity for winter 2001–02.
As a result the NHS went into winter with 1,225 more general and acute and 198 critical care beds than the same time in 2000–01. And in the same period, London went into winter with 351 more general and acute beds and 27 critical care beds.
The results of the bed census carried out at the end of November 2001 were published in "NHS Emergency Pressures—Making Progress" which was placed in the Library in December 2001.