A brief outline has been given of the work in the wards and the need for a methodical approach there, in diagnosing and treating the patients, but the number of patients that can be dealt with in the wards is very small in comparison with the number of elderly people in the area who may have indifferent health. Throughout the country out-patient attendances by the chronic sick and geriatric patients are counted in thousands, whereas the attendances for general surgery, to take an example, are counted in millions. Brief statistics indicating this are as follows (Report of Ministry of Health
1
):
|
In-patients department
|
Medicine
|
Chronic sick
|
General surgery
|
| Staffed beds allocated |
33 669 |
57 641 |
34 059 |
| Average daily bed occupation |
32 842 |
56 254 |
33 198 |
| Discharges and deaths |
519 448 |
118 457 |
807 863 |
| Average duration of stay |
20·8 |
164·4 |
13·2 |
| Waiting list at 31 December |
8 553 |
10 626 |
131 215 |
|
Out-patients
|
|
|
|
| Annual number of clinical sessions |
127 456 |
3881 |
115 681 |
| New out-patients |
633 212 |
7676 |
885 146 |
| Total attendances |
2 683 822 |
39 200 |
2 901 347 |
| More recently on December 31 1969 the beds available were |
31 299 |
47 637 |
31 171 |
| In 1973 (Ref. Health and Personal Social Service Statistics 1974, page 2), the total Out-patient attendances in thousands were: |
| Medical |
10 961 |
| Geriatric |
187 |
| Surgical |
20 714 |
