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Report explains drop in hospital bed numbers

Last modified date:

23 May 2006

NHS patients are receiving better treatment despite hospital bed numbers falling by over a third in the last 20 years, states an NHS Confederation report published today.

The report cites advances in technology and new ways of treating patients as the reasons behind why the NHS now needs fewer beds.

Between 1984 and 2004, the number of hospital beds in England fell by 31 percent, from 211,617 to 145,218, while the number of treated inpatients increased by 57 percent.

Home treatment and better management of chronic conditions such as diabetes have both resulted in fewer people being admitted to hospital for long periods of times.