Written question asked by Harold Best (Labour) on Wednesday, 16 March 2005, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Thursday, 24 March 2005. It was answered by Melanie Johnson (Labour) on Thursday, 24 March 2005 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, pursuant to the Answer of 21st February, Official Report, column 162W, on Leeds Community and Mental Health Trust, whether the bed occupancy rate for 2003-04 includes patients occupying the beds of other patients on leave.

Answer: Mr. Best: To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 21 February 2005, Official Report, column 162W, on Leeds Community and Mental Health Trust, whether the bed occupancy rate for 2003-04 includes patients occupying the beds of other patients on leave. [223214] Miss Melanie Johnson: Bed availability and occupancy are measured at midnight so by definition there cannot be more than one patient occupying a bed. A bed allocated to a patient on home leave would be recorded as not available and therefore not occupied. If the bed is subsequently made available for another patient, it would be recorded as available and occupied. In this way, occupancy never exceeds 100 per cent.

Secondary information