§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) if he will estimate the number of extra hospital beds required to reduce bed occupancy rates to 85 per cent. of their current level in(a) England and (b) each strategic health authority; and if he will make a statement; [184099]
(2) what plans he has to reduce bed occupancy in NHS hospitals. [184224]
§ Ms Rosie WintertonIt is not possible to make an estimate of this kind at either a national or strategic health authority level. Bed occupancy depends not only on the number of beds provided, but on the level of demand for those beds and the way flow through beds is managed.
Average or snap shot weekly bed occupancy is often not the critical factor for bed availability: rather it is the hourly levels of bed occupancy and the temporary mismatch between admissions and discharges that influence the ability of trusts to admit emergency patients without delay and avoid the cancellation of electives. Much bed capacity can be released through simply reducing the current, often substantial, temporary peaks and troughs in bed occupancy.
Trusts have identified improving the way they use their bed capacity as a top priority and significant support is being delivered through the national programme to improve throughput in accident and emergency. Improved use of beds is critical to delivering this priority alongside the priorities on electives.