Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, pursuant to the Answer of 25 November 2022 to Question 96635 on Mental Health Services: Hospital Beds and with reference to the Answer of 17 June 2021 to Question 11615 on Mental Health Services: Hospital Beds, for what reason information could be provided to Question 11615 and not Question 96635; and how many mental health beds there were in 2021-22.

The data provided in the answer to Question 11615 on 21 June 2021 were annual figures, calculated from quarterly weighted averages. However, with regard to the response given to Question 96635 on 25 November 2022, only quarterly data had been provided. These data were not in the format requested and were therefore not included in the response.

NHS England has now advised that there were 18,335 consultant-led mental health beds in the 2021/22 financial year calculated from quarterly weighted averages. NHS England has advised that this figure is not a reliable total for number of mental health beds as it only counts consultant-led beds and increasing numbers of beds are classed as non-consultant-led.