Although its budget was protected in the 2010 Spending Review, the NHS faces the tightest financial settlement in its history. To avoid reducing quality and making significant cuts to services, it needs to find £20 billion in productivity improvements by 2015. Reductions in the prices paid to hospitals for treating patients mean that 40 per cent of the productivity improvements will be made in the acute sector. Reducing unnecessary use of hospital beds offers a key opportunity for significant savings.
This data briefing will give providers and commissioners information on trends in the use of hospital beds to help them decide where to focus their attention over the coming year.