Claim
In the past decade, the Conservative government has cut 17,000 hospital beds.
Background
The debate around bed spaces has been raging since a photograph surfaced of four-year-old Jack Williment-Barr, who was forced to lie on a hospital floor as he waited for treatment for suspected pneumonia at Leeds General Infirmary.
In the aftermath of the photo being published by the Yorkshire Evening Post, Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow health secretary, accused the Conservative party of overseeing the loss of 17,000 bed spaces over 10 years.
Reality
The NHS England data series on the number of available and occupied beds open overnight that are under the care of consultants in general and acute hospitals, maternity centres and units specialising in the care of patients with mental health problems and learning disabilities, showed there were 144,455 available beds in April to June 2010, when the Conservative-led coalition came to power.
In the most recent quarter, July to September 2019, there were 127,225 beds available – 17,230 fewer available beds.
The number of beds varies depending on the time of year. There is normally an increase in bed availability in winter and this falls back in later months. A like-for-like comparison for April to June this year shows there were 128,621 available beds – 15,834 fewer than the same period in 2010.
Removing availability at maternity centres and units specialising in the care of patients with mental health problems and learning disabilities to look solely at general and acute hospitals, under which A&E beds would fall, there were 110,568 beds available in April to June 2010, compared with 101,762 in the same period this year, a decline of 8,806.
The same data series provides occupancy rates – the number of available beds that are in use during the period. This shows that across all hospital types, the occupancy rate has risen from 84.8% in April to June 2010 to 88% in the same period this year. The occupancy rate peaked in January to March 2018 at 90%.
Verdict
The 17,000 figure is correct but not a like-for-like comparison. However, the number of hospital beds has fallen considerably since the Conservatives came to power, as occupancy rates have risen. Experts such as Dr Susan Crossland, the president of the Society for Acute Medicine, have warned the loss of beds will make it harder for hospital staff to provide proper care.
