Details slightly modified Picked at random but highly typical in that no single clear cut condition is involved and no definitive treatment seems to be involved. Length of stay by age group. 1981 and 1998. Both years, smooth upwards curve in length of stay by age. Trend in number of emergency admissions and average length of stay for four broad age bands.
Beds occupied is broadly the product of number of admissions and length of stay.
Slide 8 shows the contrasting patterns for different age groups. For those aged 45 to 64, numbers and length of stay roughly balance. Among the older age groups, particularly those over 80, numbers have been rising faster than length of stay has been falling, leading to an increasing bed requirement. Total bed days after emergency admission by broad age group. This slide gives the result in terms of bed days of the trends in Slide 8.