Written question asked by Tony Clarke (Labour) on Wednesday, 21 July 2004, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Tuesday, 7 September 2004. It was answered by Stephen Ladyman (Labour) on Tuesday, 7 September 2004 on behalf of the Department of Health.

Dept of Health

Question: To ask the Secretary of State for Health, how many beds are available for the elderly in care homes in Northampton; and how many were available on average in (a) 2001 and (b) 1997. - Including table.

Answer: Mr. Tony Clarke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many beds are available for the elderly in care homes in Northampton; and how many were available on average in (a) 2001 and (b) 1997. [186515] Dr. Ladyman: The table shows the number of places available for people aged 65 and over in residential and nursing homes in Northamptonshire, at 31 March for the years 1997 and 2001. Number of care home places for people aged 65 and over in Northamptonshire1, 1997 and 2001 As at 31 March Rounded numbers _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Residential Nursing2,3 1997 2,870 -- 2001 2,920 1,640 _________________________________________________________________________________________________. Notes: 1 Figures for residential care are for Northamptonshire local authority and for nursing care they are for Northamptonshire health authority 2 Nursing home figures include places in general nursing homes, mental nursing homes and private hospitals and clinics. 3 Information is not available by age band at health authority level for 1997. Data for Northampton is not centrally available. I understand from the chair of the Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) that figures for later years were collected by the National Care Standards Commission, and now CSCI, but comparable details are not available.

Secondary information