To ask Her Majesty's Government which strategic health authorities have the highest proportion of patients inappropriately placed in hospital beds, in the light of the assertion by the NHS chief executive in his annual report that 25 per cent of patients have been inappropriately placed in hospital beds; and what steps they are taking to reduce that percentage. [HL4652]

Information gathered from the Your Health, Your Care, Your Say process, and various studies, suggests that a significant proportion of hospital admissions could be avoidable with the right care and support in the community. The next-stage review has identified tackling this area as urgent, and the primary and community care strategy is now in place to start tackling this in a systematic way. Information on the proportion of patients inappropriately placed in hospital by strategic health authority is not held centrally.

Moving day-to-day care that would traditionally be provided in hospital settings into the community has been shown to provide an equally good service. And delivering high quality community services in conjunction with social care can ensure early discharge from hospital and prevent some admissions to hospital.

The transforming community services programme aims to improve community services to develop modern, personalised and responsive care of a consistently high standard and deliver improved health outcomes for communities. Through the world-class commissioning programme primary care trusts are commissioning an increasing number of community services closer to home, to increase well-being and prevent ill health.

Regional and local partners throughout the National Health Service are leading the system changes set out in the next-stage review primary and community care strategy, to ensure that patients are offered care in the most appropriate setting to meet their needs.