Answers to Questions

PUBLIC HOSPITAL BEDS

21 Dr McFETRIDGE (Morphett) (1 June 2010). Using the OECD classification of in-patients beds, how many public hospital beds were there in South Australia in each year from 1995 to 2009 according to the following categories—

(a) acute care beds;

(b) curative care beds;

(c) psychiatric care beds; and

(d) long term care beds (not including the following—surgical tables; recovery trolleys, emergency stretches, beds for some day care, cots for healthy infants, beds in wards closed for any reason, provisional and temporary beds, beds in nursing and residential facilities, and chairs and recliner chairs used for same day care)?

The Hon. J.D. HILL (Kaurna—Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health and Substance Abuse, Minister for the Southern Suburbs, Minister Assisting the Premier in the Arts): I am advised:

The number of public acute hospital inpatient beds from 1994-95 to 2008-09 are as per the table below. These are consistent with OECD definitions. The Department's usual convention of excluding public psychiatric hospitals from counts of public hospital beds has been followed in preparing this response.

Average available inpatient beds in public acute hospitals

Only total bed numbers have been provided. The data source for beds does not distinguish between different types, such as acute and psychiatric.