Bernard Allen
Question:69 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health if he will give details of the number of private beds available in public hospitals in each of the years 1987 to 1992.
Written Answers. - Hospital Bed Designation.
Bernard Allen
Question:70 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health if he will give details of the number of public beds available in public hospitals for each of the years 1987 to 1991, and currently in view of his announcement made on 2 March 1992.
Bernard Allen
Question:71 Mr. Allen asked the Minister for Health if he will give details of the total number of beds available in each of the years 1987 to 1992 in public hospitals.
I propose to take Questions Nos. 69, 70 and 71 together.
The formal designation of beds arises from the legislation enacted in 1991 to give effect to the Programme for Economic and Social Progress commitments to improve equity of access to public hospitals. As part of the designation process, hospitals were required to identify the numbers of beds which were, on 31 May last, regarded as public, private or in categories where a distinction between public and private accommodation did not arise. Proposals for the formal designation of these beds were then agreed between the health boards or voluntary hospitals and the Department of Health, based on an analysis of the respective levels of public and private activity. I have approved these proposals on the basis that they will be subject to regular review in the light of my Department's monitoring of the operation of the new arrangements.
The following table compares the approved designations with the breakdowns identified by the hospitals in respect of 31 May 1991.
|
As at 31 May 1991 |
Approved designation |
|
|
Public beds |
7,813 |
9,011 |
|
Private beds |
2,447 |
2,363 |
|
Non-designated beds* |
1,912 |
912 |
|
12,172 |
12,286 |
*Non-designated beds are those where a distinction between public and private accommodation will not arise.
As comparable information was not previously compiled it is not possible to provide the details sought for earlier periods.
It should also be noted that these figures are not directly comparable with the figures published annually in respect of the total number of acute public hospital beds. Certain psychiatric and geriatric beds which, although located in acute hospitals, are not counted in the latter figures, are included in the designation exercise because they cater for private as well as public patients. On the other hand, the designation exercise excludes a small number of acute public hospitals in which there is no significant private activity.
While, as already stated, a total comparable with that in the designation exercise cannot be provided for earlier periods, I would refer the Deputy to my predecessor's reply to his question of 16 October 1991 which sets out the total number of acute public hospital beds for each year to 1990. These figures are based on final annualised returns, and the equivalent figure for 1991 is not yet available.