Acute Activity

Statistical Publication Notice

25 November 2008

Acute Activity to 31 March 2008 (quarterly and annual data)

INTRODUCTION

KEY POINTS

• The total number of hospital discharges (episodes) has increased by 1.3% to 1,332,000 in the year ending March 2008 from 1,315,000 in 2007.
• Neoplasms (including cancer) were the most common main diagnosis for patients discharged from hospital in the year ending March 2008, accounting for 14.0% of all primary diagnoses.
• 1,214,000 procedures were carried out in NHS Scotland in 2008, an increase of 2.1% from 1,190,000 in 2007.
• For patients aged 65 years and over who have had 2 or more emergency admission spells in hospital, the rate per 100,000 population has increased slightly from 4,800 in the year ending March 2007 to 4,900 in 2008, a smaller increase than the previous year (4,500 in 2006).

INTERPRETATION

DETAILED FINDINGS

• The total number of hospital discharges (episodes) increased by 1.3% to 1,332,000 in the year ending 31 March 2008 from 1,315,000 in year ending March 2007.
• The number of elective inpatient discharges (episodes) is 197,000 in 2008, a decrease of 3.7% from 204,000 in 2007.
• The number of emergency inpatient discharges (episodes) rose by 3.9% to 528,000 in 2008 from 509,000 in 2007.
• The number of day case discharges (episodes) is 395,000 in 2008 a decrease of 2.4% from 405,000 in 2007.

• The total number of hospital discharges (episodes) increased by 1.9% to 337,000 in quarter ending September 2008 from 330,000 in quarter ending September 2007.
• The total number of inpatient discharges (episodes) increased by 1.1% to 236,000 in quarter ending September 2008 to 234,000 in quarter ending September 2007.
• The number of day case discharges (episodes) in quarter ending September 2008 is 100,000 an increase of 4.0% from 97,000 in quarter ending September 2007.

• The most common main diagnoses for patients discharged from hospital in the year ending March 2008 are Neoplasms; Symptoms, Signs and Ill Defined Conditions; and Diseases of the Digestive System, accounting for 14.0%, 13.3% and 13.2% of all main diagnoses respectively.
• Analysis of eight long term conditions (based on main condition) showed that the hospital episode rate per 100,000 population for these conditions was 1,955 in the year ending 31 March 2008, an 4.8% decrease from 2,054 in the year ending 31 March 2004.

• A total of 1,214,000 procedures were carried out on inpatients and day cases in NHS Scotland in the year ending March 2008, an increase of 2.1% from 1,190,000 in 2007.
• The British Association of Day Surgery (BADS) has produced a directory of surgical procedures that contain aspirational goals for day surgery (including outpatient surgery). These cover around 40% of all surgical procedures. In the year ending June 2008, 68% of all elective BADS procedures were carried out as day cases or outpatients, showing a steady increase from 66% in the year ending March 2005. It should be noted that nationally collected information about procedures performed in an outpatient setting is a relatively new development and known to be incomplete. ISD Scotland is working with NHS Boards to develop full compliance nationally.
• For the 5 years up to year ending 31 March 2007, there had been a steady increase in the number of hip replacements carried out in Scotland. Figures for year ending 31 March 2008 show a slight decrease (4%) in this procedure. Similarly, following a 7 year increase in the number of knee replacements to year ending 31 March 2007, there has been a slight decrease in the past year, down by 2% in year ending 31 March 2008.
• For some procedures there is a marked increase in the percentage being performed in a day case setting between year ending 31 March 2007 and 2008, including Angioplasties (25.2% to 33.9%), Hernioplasties (36.9% to 43.1%) and Varicose vein operations (47.8% to 56.6%).
• 93% of cataract operations were performed in a day case or outpatient setting in the year ending 31 March 2008, compared to 84% in 2004.

• The average length of stay for all inpatient admission episodes in the year ending March 2008 is 5.3 days, showing a steady year-on-year decrease from 6.0 days in 2004.
• Inpatient admissions can be spilt into routine and non-routine admissions and both have seen a decrease in recent years. The average length of stay for routine admissions has fallen from 7.8 to 7.3 days between 2004 and 2008, whilst for non-routine admissions the average has reduced by almost 1 day from 4.7 to 3.9 days in the same time period.

• 4,500,000 outpatients were seen at consultant clinics in the year ending March 2008, showing a slight increase of 0.2% when compared to year ending March 2007. In 2007/08, 1,385,000 were new outpatient attendances, an increase of 1.4% from 1,365,000 in 2006/07.
• The return to new ratio for outpatient attendances has decreased from 2.6 return outpatients seen for each new outpatient in 2001 to 2.2 in 2008.

• 1,130,000 outpatients were seen at consultant clinics in the quarter ending September 2008, showing an increase of 2.6% when compared to the same quarter in 2007. In quarter ending September 2008, 360,000 were new outpatient attendances, a rise of 6.8% from 340,000 in same quarter in 2007.
• The return to new ratio for outpatient attendances has decreased from 2.3 return outpatients seen for each new outpatient in the quarter ending September 2007 to 2.1 in the same quarter in 2008.

• For patients aged 65 years and over who have had 2 or more emergency admission spells in hospital, the rate per 100,000 population has increased slightly from 4,800 in the year ending March 2007 to 4,900 in 2008, a smaller increase than the previous year (4,500 in 2006).
• For patients aged 65 years and over admitted as an emergency, the occupied bed day rate appears to have levelled off at around 2.8 million in recent years, up to year ending March 2007. Data on emergency bed days for year ending 31 March 2008 are not yet available as some relevant patient discharge records may not yet have been submitted to ISD or the patient may still be in hospital.
• The emergency admission rate per 100,000 population for patients aged under 25 years with 1 admission in a given year has increased steadily from 4,000 in the year ending March 2003 to 4,200 in 2008.
• The rate per 100,000 population for children aged 0 to 4 years who have had 2 emergency admission spells in hospital has increased over the last 10 years from 925 in year ending March 1999 to 1,300 in 2008.

• The average number of available staffed beds in acute specialties has decreased slightly to 17,340 in the year ending March 2008, compared with 17,460 in 2007.
• The occupancy rate of acute beds has been fairly constant over the last eight years at between 81-83%.

• 740,000 outpatients were seen at nurse led clinics for acute specialties in the year ending March 2008. Of these, 136,000 were new attendances.
• 5,600,000 outpatients were seen at an allied health professional or other technical department in the year ending March 2008. Of these, 1,500,000 were new attendances.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

MAIN CONTACTS:

Matthew Armstrong
Principal Information Analyst
0131 275 7487
Inpatient, Day Case and Outpatient Activity

Tracey Cromwell
Senior Information Analyst
0131 275 6179
Beds, Nurse and AHP activity

Michelle Kirkpatrick
Senior Information Analyst
0131 275 6458
Multiple emergency admissions

PRE-RELEASE ACCESS TO THIS PUBLICATION WAS GIVEN TO:

HISTORY OF THIS PUBLICATION:

Last Published: 26 August 2008
Next Due: 24 February 2009
Data Avaliable Since: For activity and beds information, some trends are available from April 1997.

Main contact: Matthew Armstrong

 Printer friendly version