Number of hospital beds in the United Kingdom (UK) 2000-2021
The number of hospital beds in the United Kingdom has undergone a decline since the year 2000. Whereas in 2000, there were around 240 thousand beds in the UK, by 2021 this figure was approximately 157.8 thousand. This means over this twenty-year period there were over 83 thousand fewer hospital beds in the UK.
Fewer beds but admissions are still high
There were almost 1.49 million admissions to hospital between July and September 2019 in England. This quarterly figure of admissions has remained fairly consistent since 2014. The busiest hospital trust in England by admissions in the year 2020/21 was the University Hospitals Birmingham Foundation Trust with over 256.6 thousand admissions. The average length of stay in hospitals in the UK between 2010 and 2019 for acute care was six days.
Accident and Emergency
In the first quarter of 2022/23, A&E in England received around 6.4 million attendees. The number of attendances has been creeping upwards since 2012. Around 8.2 percent of people attending A&E in the last year were diagnosed with a respiratory condition, followed by 6.9 percent with a dislocation, fracture, joint injury or amputation.
Fewer beds but admissions are still high
There were almost 1.49 million admissions to hospital between July and September 2019 in England. This quarterly figure of admissions has remained fairly consistent since 2014. The busiest hospital trust in England by admissions in the year 2020/21 was the University Hospitals Birmingham Foundation Trust with over 256.6 thousand admissions. The average length of stay in hospitals in the UK between 2010 and 2019 for acute care was six days.
Accident and Emergency
In the first quarter of 2022/23, A&E in England received around 6.4 million attendees. The number of attendances has been creeping upwards since 2012. Around 8.2 percent of people attending A&E in the last year were diagnosed with a respiratory condition, followed by 6.9 percent with a dislocation, fracture, joint injury or amputation.
