Available bed—overnight-stay admitted care, average number of beds N[NNN.N]

Guide for use:

The number of available beds should be collected at least monthly at the same time on the same day. To improve accuracy data could be collected more frequently (e.g. daily). If so it should be collected at the same time on each day. More frequent data collection is preferable if a single monthly count is likely to be significantly different from the monthly average.

Inclusions: Both occupied and unoccupied beds are included in the count as they are deemed as available beds.

The number of beds available to provide overnight accommodation is recorded, e.g. maternity ward beds are counted but beds in the delivery suite are not. However, if in a delivery suite patients are admitted, deliver and are discharged from the same bed, such beds should be included because these beds are available for use for overnight-stay patients.

Exclusions: surgical tables, recovery trolleys, delivery beds, discharge lounges for patients who have been formally discharged, medi-hotel beds, beds exclusively or predominantly for same-day admitted care, neonatal cots (non-special-care), hospital-in-the home beds, and beds exclusively or predominantly for non-admitted patients (e.g. emergency trolleys) or residential care. No adjustment should be made for contracted services, either provided by, or to this hospital.