Page last updated: 27-MAY-2008

Inpatient, Day Case and Outpatient Activity

Outpatients

People attending hospitals can be seen in various hospital settings. This can involve a patient attending hospital, and either being admitted or being seen as an outpatient.

An outpatient is a patient who attends a consultant or other medical clinic. This can also involve a planned meeting with a consultant or a senior member of his team out-with a clinic session. Outpatients are categorised as new outpatients or follow-up (return) outpatients. A clinic may be held in a hospital outpatient department, a health centre or any other location.

A variety of operations are carried out in NHS Scotland and increasingly less complex procedures are carried out in an outpatient setting. See the 'work in progress' section within these pages for more information.

Information available includes;

  • image indicating updated content  outpatient and A&E summary by specialty for Scotland and NHS Boards of treatment; financial years 1997/98 to 2006/07
  • image indicating updated content  alternative presentation that allows easier comparison of NHS boards
  • new release icon outpatient activity for Scotland and NHS Boards of treatment; financial years 1998/99 to 2006/07 and quarters ending June 2007, September 2007, December 2007 and March 2008 

Please note:  To allow as up to date trends as possible to be shown, some estimates have been necessary and are presented in the above tables.


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