WHO European health information at your fingertips.

Export to:

A critical error happened while trying to prepare the export files. Sorry for the inconvenience, the support team is already notified about this issue. Please try again later.

See full graph

Back to preview

Data set notes

European Health for All database

Indicators: 565

Updated: 18 October 2024

Contact: Data and Digital Health Unit (DDH)

The following abbreviations are used in the indicator titles:

• SDR: age-standardized death rates (see HFA-DB user manual/Technical notes, page 13, for details)

• FTE: full-time equivalent

• PP: physical persons

• PPP$: purchasing power parities expressed in US $, an internationally comparable scale reflecting the relative domestic purchasing powers of currencies.

More information: http://www.euro.who.int/en/data-and-evidence/databases/european-health-for-all-database-hfa-db

Indicator notes

Number of nursing and elderly home beds
Indicator code: E992762.T

Beds available for people requiring long-term care in institutions (other than hospitals).

Long-term care institutions refer to nursing and residential care facilities (HP.2) which provide accommodation and long-term care as a package. They include specially designed institutions or hospital-like settings where the predominant service component is long-term care and the services are provided for people with moderate to severe functional restrictions.

Inclusion - Beds in all types of nursing and residential care facilities (HP.2) dedicated to long-term nursing care (HC.3) - Beds for palliative care in all types of nursing and residential care facilities (HP.2)

Exclusion - Beds in institutions which are not dedicated to long-term care - Beds in hospitals dedicated to long-term nursing care (HC.3) - Beds in specially designed and adapted living arrangements for persons who require help on a regular basis while guaranteeing a high degree of autonomy and self-control (these are defined as “home” settings) - Beds in addiction recovery centres

Note: System of Health Accounts 1.0 is available from http://www.oecd.org/health/healthpoliciesanddata/1841456.pdf._

Country/Area notes

Albania

Source of data:
Reference period:

Austria

Source of data: Austrian Federal Ministry of Health, Austrian Healthcare Structure Plan
(Osterreichischer Strukturplan Gesundheit, OSG) 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012. Data base are periodical
surveys in the provinces (Bundeslander = NUTS2 regions) by the Ministry of Health on occasion of
revisions of the Austrian Healthcare Structure Plan.
Reference period: 31st December.
Coverage: Includes nursing beds in nursing and residential care facilities. Data are available on
the regional level for the years 2007, 2009, 2011 and on the national level additionally for the
year 2004.

Belarus

Source of data: Official Statistics Yearbook \Health in the Republic of Belarus\"

Belgium

Source of data: INAMI.
http://www.riziv.fgov.be/care/fr/residential-care/specific-information/stats.html.
Coverage:
- Data include beds in rest and care homes (\maisons de repos et de soins pour personnes agees\"

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Source: Public Health Institute FB&H, Hospital service in FB&H, Public Health Institute Republica
Srpska, Hospital service in Republica Srpska.

Medical technology

Bulgaria

Source of data: National Statistical Institute, Exhaustive annual survey
Reference period: 31st of December
Coverage: All disclosed beds in hospices and Homes for medico-social care for children.
Estimation method: The types of activities as residential mental retardation, mental health and
substance abuse care are predominantly done in specialized hospitals and dispensaries and are
reported as HP 1.

Croatia

Source of data: Ministry of Social Policy and Youth, Statistical Reports 2003-2011
Reference period: 31st December
Coverage: Data include beds in long-term nursing care departments of:
combined long-term nursing care and community care facilities (HP.2.1/HP.2.3)
combined long-term nursing care and mental retardation and mental health facilities (HP.2.1/HP.2.2)
Beds in residential departments of mentioned facilities are not included.
Beds in other types of residential care facilities (HP.2.9) which do not have long-term nursing care
departments, but only residential departments are not included.

Cyprus

Data not available.

Czechia

Czech Republic

Source of data:
Beds in social care sector: Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs (Annual report on social care
establishments and provision of social care services).
Beds in health care sector: Institute of Health Information and Statistics of the Czech Republic
(Survey on bed resources of health establishments and their exploitation).
Reference period: 31st December.
Coverage:
Beds in social care sector:
- Until 2006, data refer to the total number of beds in the following establishments of social care
services: Pensioners? houses (including common establishments of pensioners? houses and pensioners?
lodging houses), establishments for handicapped, homes for nuns.
- From 2007 (a new act on social services came into effect), data refer to the number of beds for
yearlong and week stays in the following establishments of social care services: week care centres,
homes for disabled persons, homes for the elderly, special regime homes.
Beds in health care sector:
- Long-term care beds encompass all beds in institutes for long-term patients (existing since 1973)
and beds in hospices (existing since 1996).
- Since 2000, data cover all health services.
Break in time series: 2007.

Denmark

Source of data: Statistics Denmark.
Reference period: Annual average.

Estonia

Source of data:
- Ministry of Social Affairs, Department of Social Policy Information and Analysis Statistical
reports: since 2008 \Institutional welfare service for adults\" and ?Special welfare services;
2003-2007 \"Institutional welfare service for adults\"

Finland

Source of data: National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL), Care Register for Institutional
Health Care and Care Register of Institutional Social Care.
Estimation method: Since 1996, calculated beddays/365 or 366.

France

Source of data: Ministere des Affaires sociales et de la Sante - Direction de la Recherche, des
Etudes, de l'Evaluation et des Statistiques (DREES). Data are from EHPA and ES quadrennial surveys,
national database FINESS and ?Statistique Annuelle des Etablissements de sante (SAE)?.
Reference period: 31st December.
Coverage:
- Data refer to metropolitan France and D.O.M. (overseas departments).
- Data account for beds in EHPAD (\Etablissements d'Hebergement pour Personnes Agees Dependantes\"

Georgia

Health statistics don?t contain such data.

Germany

Germany

Source of data: Federal Statistical Office, Statistics on long-term care; Statistisches Bundesamt
2013, Pflegestatistik 2011,Pflege im Rahmen der Pflegestatistik - Deutschlandergebnisse, table 3.3;
http://www.destatis.de or http://www.gbe-bund.de.
Reference period: Data are collected every other year as at 15th December.
Coverage:
- Long-term care beds only comprise beds in nursing homes (HP2) in all sectors (public,
not-for-profit and private).
- Data contain the number of places available in nursing homes for the elderly and disabled. In this
context, \Long-term care\" is defined by the long-term care insurance act - Code of Social Security
Legislation XI.
- The result for Germany

Greece

Source of data: Hellenic Statistical Authority (EL.STAT.), Hospital Census.
Coverage: Data available only for years 1980-2000, derived from a survey concerning institutions for
social anticipation. After 2000, this survey ceased.

Hungary

Source of data: Central Statistical Office (KSH), Yearbook Of Welfare Statistics. http://www.ksh.hu.
Coverage: Since 1999, this includes the capacity of social institutions providing permanent and
temporary accommodation. It contains the capacity of permanent or temporary accommodation for
elderly people, psychiatric patients, disabled people and addicted people, and does not contain the
permanent and temporary accommodation for the homeless.
Break in the series: Before 1999, the data included figures for any social institution providing
permanent and temporary hospitalisation, including the institutions providing permanent or temporary
accommodation for the homeless.

Iceland

Source of data:
- 1990-1992: Directorate of Health.
- 1993-2006: Statistics Iceland.
- 2007 onwards: Statistics Iceland and the Ministry of Welfare.
Reference period: December.
Coverage:
- 1990-1992: Beds in nursing homes and nursing wards of retirement homes.
- 1993-2006: Beds in nursing homes and nursing wards of retirement homes based on data on authorised
beds from the Ministry of Health and Social Security and data collected from the institutions by
Statistics Iceland. Beds in retirement homes that are not for nursing care are excluded.
-2007 and onwards: Beds in nursing homes and nursing wards of retirement homes, beds in health care
facilities (not hospitals) both LTC beds and some curative care beds and beds in one substance abuse
institution. Beds in retirement homes that are not for nursing care are excluded.
- Data do not include beds in special institutions for the disabled.
Break in time series: 2007.

Ireland

Source of data:
- From 2010, Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA).
- Up to 2009: Department of Health and Children, Annual Survey of Long-Stay Units.
Coverage:
Data as of December. Data refer to HP2 facilities providing residential care for older people which
are registered as ?designated centres?, as defined by the Health Act 2007 with the Health
Information and Quality Authority (HIQA). All residential settings for older people are required by
law to register with HIQA by June 2012. Data refer to the registered capacity of a centre, for those
centres which are registered, plus the number of occupied beds in centres which have yet to
register.
Break in time series:
- Break in series occurs in 2009. Data also include beds in district and community hospitals. Beds
for limited stay (rehabilitation, convalescence, palliative and respite) were also included from
2009.
Prior to 2009: Figures include long-stay beds in long-stay geriatric homes, welfare homes and
private nursing homes.
- Break in series occurs in 2010. Data prior to 2010 was sourced from the Annual Survey of Long-Stay
Units. Approximately 80% of long-stay units respond to this survey each year. For facilities where
no data was received, bed numbers were rolled forward from the previous year.

Israel

Israel

Source of data: Data are based on the Medical Institutions License Registry maintained by the
Department of Medical Facilities and Equipment Licensing and the Health Information Division in the
Ministry of Health.
Reference period: End of the year.
Coverage: Includes all licensed beds in nursing and residential care facilities. The nursing and
residential care institutions include only beds for geriatric nursing care and the mentally frail.
It does not include long-term care beds in hospitals.
* Note: The statistical data for Israel are supplied by and under the responsibility of the relevant
Israeli authorities. The use of such data by the OECD is without prejudice to the status of the
Golan Heights, East Jerusalem and Israeli settlements in the West Bank under the terms of
international law.

Italy

Source of data: Ministry of Health - D.G. of Health Information System - Office of Statistics.
http://www.salute.gov.it/servizio/datisis.jsp.
Reference period: Annual average.
Coverage:
- Data refer to all public and private residential care facilities accredited by the National Health
Service. Private facilities not accredited by the National Health Service are excluded.
- Data report beds in HP.2 ?Nursing and residential care facilities? for public and private
accredited facilities. These residential care facilities have two separately-countable types:
facilities providing services of long-term nursing care (i.e. services comprised under item HC.3 of
ICHA-HC), and facilities providing services of rehabilitative care (i.e. services comprised under
item HC.2 of ICHA-HC). The data reported since 2003 comprise only beds in facilities providing
services of long-term nursing care, i.e. services exclusively comprised under item HC.3 of ICHA-HC.

Latvia

Source of data: Social Services Board of the Ministry of Welfare of the Republic of Latvia and the
Central Statistical Bureau of Latvia
Reference period: 31 December.
Coverage: includes: Specialised children's social care centres and specialized state social care
centres.
In Latvia these two types of establishments mainly provide beds for residential mental retardation
and mental health care (HP.2.2). In HP.2.1we included short-term social care beds in hospitals which
have not been included in HP.1. In general this type of beds does not correspond with SHA
definitions for HP.2.1.
Beds for palliative care are included in HP.1.
Due to the fact that in the data source only planned beds are indicated, we use indicator \actual
number of persons\" thus equating this indicator to beds in nursing and residential care facilities.
Starting from January 1

Lithuania

Source of data: Statistics Lithuania, Health Information Centre of Institute of Hygiene, data of
entire annual survey of health establishments. Report ?Health Statistics of Lithuania?, available
from http://sic.hi.lt/html/en/hsl.htm. Reference period: 31st December.
Coverage:
- number of beds in nursing homes for disabled adults
- number of children in special boarding schools and centres for special training
- number of beds in care homes for disabled children and youth (boarding school)
- number of beds for the children with disability in county and municipality child care homes (since
'2006')
- number of beds in care institutions for the elderly
- number of beds in nursing hospitals or nursing departments of general hospitals.

Luxembourg

Source of data: Inspection Generale de la Securite Sociale, Cellule d'evaluation et d'orientation de
l'assurance dependance.
Reference period: Annual average.
Coverage:
- The number of long-term care beds reported refers to the number of beneficiaries (annual average)
covered by the long-term care insurance (\assurance dependance\").
- Institutions for dependent persons accommodate both non-dependent and dependent persons. There is
no information concerning the number of beds for dependent persons only."

Malta

Source of data: Department of Elderly and Community care and Department of Institutional Health
within Ministry of Health, the Elderly and Community Care.
Figures from 2007 onwards supplied by Health Care Services Standards, Health Division within
Ministry of Health, the Elderly and Community Care.
Reference period: annual average
Coverage: All facilities provide both residential and nursing care facilities.
The discrepancy in 2004 is due to a change in the licensing category of the main geriatric hospital
in Malta - from a nursing care facility to a geriatric care hospital
Changes in bed numbers for 2008 reflect ongoing restructuring within Health Division and relicensing
of health care entities.
There is again an upward trend in HP.2 beds at end 2009 as the main state Geriatric Hospital was
relicensed as a residential and nursing care facility for the elderly
The number of beds in residential long-term care facilities in 2011 has been edited since some day
care beds were incorrectly added to the total number of beds under this heading.
In 2012 the number of beds in residential long-term facilities increased since a publicly owned
residential home has begun operating.
Break in the series: 2005, 2008 and 2009.

Montenegro

The data are not available.

Netherlands

Source of data:
- From 2002: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek, Long term care institutions surveys.
- Until 2002: Centraal Bureau voor de Statistiek, Intramurale Gezondheidszorg, table 3 (several
issues).
Coverage: Beds in nursing homes and residential care homes for the elderly.

North Macedonia

Source of data: Ministry for social policy and social care.
Reference period: 31st December.
Note: Increases in the numbers of nursing beds in 2005 (25%) an 2006 (71%) are due to the newly
opened, mostly private, nursing homes.

Norway

Source of data: Statistics Norway. Statistics on Specialist Health Services and Nursing and Care
Statistics. The figures in HP2 are based on two different survey-based statistics, partly on
?Nursing and Care? statistics and partly on ?Specialist Health Services?. The statistics are
collected annually for all nursing and residential care facilities in Norway. See
http://www.ssb.no/speshelse_en/.
Reference period: Annual average.
Break in time series: 2004. The total figures have increased due to a change in responsibility for
the care of substance abusers. These figures were collected for the first time in 2004 as
responsibility for substance abuse care was moved from the municipalities to the health enterprise.

Poland

Source of data: Central Statistical Office, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Interior and
Administration and the Ministry of National Defence.
Reference period: 31st December.
Coverage: Beds in nursing and residential care facilities (HP.2) comprise beds in chronic medical
care homes, nursing homes, hospices, beds in social welfare facilities for chronically ill with
somatic disorders, chronically mentally ill, mentally retarded, and physically handicapped.
Beds in addiction recovery centres are excluded for all years. Data are compatible with previous
definition where substance abuse facilities such as addiction recovery centres were excluded.

Portugal

Data not available.

Republic of Moldova

Source of data: National Statistical Bureau of the Republic of Moldova. Annual statistical report N1
?On activities of institutions of social welfare for elderly and disable people? and statistical
report N2 ?On activities of institutions for developmentally disabled children?.
Reference period: Data as of December 31.
Coverage: Data exclude Transnistria.

Romania

Source of data: National Institute of Statistics.
Reference period: data as of 31st December.
Coverage: Includes beds in medico-social units and beds in social care facilities for the disabled
adult people. Excludes beds in homes for elderly.
Starting with 2010 data include: beds in medico-social units and beds in social care facilities for
the disabled (adult and children) people
The increase in the number of beds in 2010, compared to 2009, is due to inclusion in NIS statistical
survey, of units that provide medical and social care for children with disabilities.
Until 2010 data were collected only for entities that provide medical and social care for adults
with disabilities.
Break in time series: 2010

San Marino

Coverage: Only public sector included.

Serbia

Data are not available.

Slovakia

Source of data: Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, Record no. SOC 1-01
Coverage: Data refer to beds in social service homes, specialized facilities, residential homes for
seniors, rehabilitation centers, and residential nursing facilities. Number of beds in 2004 ? 2007
included also data on sheltered housing facility.

Data refer only to beds dedicated to long term care in social facilities where health care service
is not provided. Data divided at regional level are not available. Available are only data divided
according 8 official regional districts of the SR (no NUTS2).

Slovenia

Data not available.

Spain

Source of data: Ministry of Health, Social Services and Equity - Observatory of Major Persons.
http//:www.imsersomayores.csic.es.
Reference period: Annual average.
Coverage: 2005 underestimated by partial geographical coverage.
Deviation from the definition: Beds for palliative care in all types of nursing and residential care
facilities (HP.2) are not included. Total data may be under-estimated.

Sweden

Source of data:
- The National Board of Health and Welfare, Care and services to elderly persons 1990-2009,
- The National Board of Health and Welfare, Care inputs for persons with impairments according to
the Social Services Act and the Health and Medical, 1990-2009,
- The National Board of Health and Welfare, Persons with certain functional impairments ? measures
specified by LSS Act 1995-2009,
- Federation of Swedish County Councils, Basarsstatistik (local nursing homes operated by the county
councils).
Reference period:
-1990-2009: 1st October.
- 2010 onwards: 1st November
Coverage:
- Data include long-term beds in residential homes for the elderly over 65 years old and for persons
with functional impairments 0-64 years which provide medical care as well as daily living services.
Total long-term care (LTC) includes the ?social? and ?health? components of long-term care (HC.3 and
HC.R.6.1).
- Data also include beds for need-tested short-term care. For the year 1998, data were missing on
beds for need-tested short-term care. Until 1997, data also include local nursing homes operated by
the county councils as an effect of the Adel Reform. Those beds have decreased since the Adel Reform
in 1992, and since 1998 they have all been transfered to the municipalities.
- The number of institutional care beds belonging to the Health Service decreased in 1992 because of
the 'Adel-reform' which transferred about 31000 beds to the social sector (municipalities). These
beds are now referred to as beds in nursing and residential care facilities. In 1994, additional
care beds have been taken over by the municipalities. After the Adel Reform, the local levels and
the municipalities are responsible for and perform most of the long term care services.
- Data exclude LTC beds in hospitals.
- In 2010, there was a shift in measuring methods for beds in nursing and residential care
facilities. Data from 1990-2009 are based on group data collected from the Swedish municipalities.
Date of measurement is 1 October each year. From 2010 data are based on individual data (including
consumers? national registration numbers) collected from the Swedish municipalities. The information
refers to conditions on 1 November. That means that there could be some differences between 2010 and
previous years.
Break in time series: 1992 and 2010.

Switzerland

Source of data: FSO Federal Statistical Office, Neuchatel; statistics of medical-social
institutions; yearly census.
Estimation method: Until 1999 (included), extrapolation to correct for partial coverage of
institutions.
Break in time series:
2000: Until year 2000, estimation based on partial coverage of institutions.

Türkiye

Data not available.

Turkmenistan

Source of data: Report from of the Ministry of Health and Medical Industry of Turkmenistan. ? 17
?Health employment?
Reference period: 31 December.
Deviation from the definition: Data includes beds at institutions such as homes for disabled
persons.

United Kingdom

Source of data:
- England: Care Quality Commission Database.
- Northern Ireland: The Department for Health, Social Services and Public Safety,
http://www.dhsspsni.gov.uk/index/stats_research/stats-pubs/stats-hospital_community_statistics.htmst
ats-hospital_community_statistics#hospital.
The information provided refers to financial years, i.e. the 2010 figure refers to the financial
year 2009/10.
- Scotland: Scottish Care Homes Census, http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/Doc/261721/0078294.pdf.
- Wales: Health Statistics Wales,
http://wales.gov.uk/cssiwsubsite/newcssiw/publications/annualreports/0809report/annrep/?lang=en.
Coverage:
- Data for England relate to registered places. 2010 data are from registrations made under Care
Standards Act (2000) and are valid as at 30th September 2010. Low numbers for England in 2011 are
due to incomplete registration.
- Data include beds or places in all nursing homes and those registered for personal care.
- Time series data have been amended in order that the data more accurately reflect the definition.
- Scotland: Information published on the number of registered places (i.e. beds) in care homes as at
31st March in any census period. This information is obtained from the Care Inspectorate.
- For Northern Ireland figures for the Southern HSC Trust were unavailable in 2005.
Estimation method: Data from 2003 onwards are UK data.
- 2003: Data for Wales unavailable, hence UK estimate obtained by using Wales data from 2004.
- 2004: Data for Northern Ireland are estimated based on average of 2003 and 2005 data.

General notes

Understanding the Number of Nursing and Elderly Home Beds

The number of nursing and elderly home beds is a critical indicator of a nation's capacity to provide adequate care for its aging population. As societies worldwide face an increasing proportion of elderly citizens, understanding the availability of such facilities becomes essential for planning and policy-making. This indicator not only reflects the current state of healthcare infrastructure but also helps in assessing the readiness of health systems to meet the demands of demographic changes. By analyzing this data, stakeholders can identify potential gaps in care and allocate resources more effectively to ensure that the elderly receive the support and care they need.

How is the Number of Nursing and Elderly Home Beds Calculated?

To calculate the number of nursing and elderly home beds, health authorities and organizations gather data from various care facilities across the country. This includes both public and private institutions that provide long-term care services. The total count encompasses all available beds that are designated for elderly care, including those in specialized nursing homes and sections of broader medical facilities dedicated to geriatric care. This comprehensive approach ensures that the data accurately reflects the healthcare capacity for the elderly, which is crucial for effective health service planning and management.

The Importance of Nursing and Elderly Home Beds

The availability of nursing and elderly home beds is a vital aspect of a country's healthcare system, directly impacting the quality of life for older adults. Adequate bed capacity ensures that the elderly can access the necessary care and support, particularly those who are no longer able to live independently due to health issues or mobility limitations. Furthermore, this indicator helps governments and healthcare providers plan for future needs, as the aging population continues to grow. It also aids in the distribution of resources, ensuring that investments in elderly care are made strategically to areas most in need.

Strengths and Limitations of the Nursing and Elderly Home Beds Indicator

While the indicator of nursing and elderly home beds is invaluable for healthcare planning, it comes with its own set of strengths and limitations that must be considered.

Strengths

This indicator provides a clear and direct measure of a country's capacity to care for its elderly population, making it an essential tool for health policy makers. It facilitates international comparisons, allowing countries to benchmark against others and adopt best practices. Additionally, it helps in the strategic planning of healthcare resources, ensuring that the growing needs of an aging population can be met efficiently and effectively.

Limitations

However, the indicator does not account for the quality of care provided in these beds, which can vary significantly between facilities and regions. It also does not reflect the broader spectrum of elderly care needs, such as in-home care services or community-based programs, which are crucial for comprehensive elderly care. Moreover, in regions where data collection is inconsistent or lacks transparency, the reliability of this indicator can be compromised, leading to potential misallocations of resources or underestimation of care needs.

Additionally, this indicator does not capture the dynamic nature of healthcare demand, which can fluctuate due to factors like seasonal illnesses or temporary increases in population. As such, while it provides a snapshot, it should be considered as part of a broader analysis of healthcare capacity and elderly care needs.

In conclusion, while the number of nursing and elderly home beds is a fundamental indicator for understanding and planning elderly care, it must be interpreted with an awareness of its limitations and supplemented with additional data to guide policy decisions effectively.