Fit for the future? Dr Foster hospital guide 2012

Summary

The number of hospital beds has decreased by a third in the past 25 years, as hospital stays have become shorter. However, admissions are rising, especially for groups such as the frail elderly.. This is one of the main causes for the growing pressure on hospital beds.

The NHS publishes figures for NHS trusts giving the average percentage of hospital beds that are occupied. These figures disguise the highs and lows in occupancy that occur week by week and season by season. According to these figures, the NHS has an average occupancy rate of just over 85%.

When occupancy rates rise above 85% it can start to affect the quality of care provided to patients and the orderly running of the hospital.

This analysis from Dr Foster calculates the number of patients in hospital each day and compares it to the number of beds the hospital says it has available. The figures reveal the extent to which occupancy varies from the low points at weekends and during bank holidays to the high points, when occupancy rates at some hospitals can reach 100%. The analysis shows that the average mid-week occupancy in the NHS is 88%, and that for most of the year most NHS hospitals are experiencing occupancy rates above 90%.