3,237 Hospital beds lost in London
August 12, 2004 12:26 PM
More than one in 10 hospital beds has been lost in the Greater London area since Labour came to power, according to figures obtained by the Liberal Democrats.
The figures obtained in a parliamentary written answer by the Lib Dem London spokesperson, Simon Hughes, show there were 32,158 hospital beds in London when Labour came to power. Now the number has fallen to 28,921 - a loss of 3,237 beds.
Taken with figures published by the Lib Dems earlier this year it shows that more than 15,000 Health Service beds have closed since Labour came to power. Numbers have fallen from nearly 199,000 in 1997 to 183,826 last year.
London Lib Dem MP Simon Hughes said:
"Londoners are suffering a loss of hospital beds at more than twice the rate of the rest of England. Ministers appear to have their priorities all wrong. Patients who have been waiting weeks and months for admission to hospital will be right to ask how such reductions can be justified."
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