Hospital admission statistics published

19 Sep 2019 10:49 AM

Statistics on all NHS admissions into hospitals in England in 2018-19 have been published today by NHS Digital.

The Hospital Admitted Patient Care Activity report records a range of information around Finished Consultant Episodes (FCEs) [1] and Finished Admission Episodes (FAEs) [2].

Data is recorded from NHS hospitals in England, as well as work commissioned by the NHS to independent providers in England.

Data in the report includes information on:

• Causes of admissions
• Diagnoses on admission
• Procedures carried out
• Patient demographics
• Regional or organisational breakdowns
• Changes over time

These episodes do not count individual people or patients, as the same person could be admitted on multiple occasions or seen by multiple consultants.

The report uses data from the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) [3], a valuable national data asset used for purposes such as health service planning.

Each record in HES includes key information including details of the patient (age, gender, geographic details), when they were treated and what they were treated for. All published figures are aggregated and anonymous.

This data is useful for the NHS to understand frontline demand and forward planning and also supports research into disease and new treatments.

Read the full report:  Hospital Admitted Patient Care Activity 2018-19

Notes to editors

1. Finished consultant episode (FCE) is a continuous period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. FCEs are counted against the year in which they end. Figures do not represent the number of different patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the same stay in hospital or in different stays in the same year.
2. Finished admission episodes (FAE) is the first period of inpatient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. FAEs are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of inpatients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.
3. Hospital Episode Statistics are compiled from data sent by more than 210 NHS trusts in England and approximately 250 independent providers for activity commissioned by the NHS.

NHS Digital is the national information and technology partner of the health and care system.  Our team of information analysis, technology and project management experts create, deliver and manage the crucial digital systems, services, products and standards upon which health and care professionals depend.  During the 2018/19 financial year, NHS Digital published 265 statistical reports. Our vision is to harness the power of information and technology to make health and care better.

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NHS Digital must be credited as the source of these figures. Regional data is available in this report.