Hospital bed occupancy rates

Request bed occupancy figures by ward type and site.

High bed occupancy rates can affect patient safety and the ability to admit new patients. Requesting this data can show how much pressure your local hospital is under.

Dear [AUTHORITY NAME], Please provide the following information for [FINANCIAL YEAR e.g. 2024-25]: 1. The average monthly bed occupancy rate for each hospital site in the board area. 2. A breakdown of occupancy by ward type (e.g. acute medical, surgical, maternity, mental health). 3. The number of days during the period when occupancy exceeded 95% at any site. I would prefer to receive this as a spreadsheet or CSV if possible. Yours faithfully, [YOUR NAME]
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Who to send it to#

Your local NHS board. Find the right board on the Commissioner’s directory of Scottish public authorities. You can also send your request through WhatDoTheyKnow, which publishes responses online.

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Tips#

  • Public Health Scotland publishes some bed occupancy statistics at board level. Check what is already available before submitting your request.
  • Occupancy above 85% is generally considered the safe limit by the Royal College of Emergency Medicine. Comparing your board’s figures against this benchmark gives useful context.
  • If you are interested in a specific hospital, name it in your request to make it easier for the board to respond.