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North West hospitals see highest number of asthma admissions in the country, NHS Information Centre figures suggest

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North West Strategic Health Authority (SHA) provisionally recorded 12,110 asthma admissions (175 per 100,000 of the population) in the 12 months to July 2011. This compares to an average (based on all 10 SHAs) of 6,810 admissions, or 130 per 100,000 of the population.

* Please see attached documents at the bottom of this email for national and local tables and charts

Blackburn with Darwen Teaching Care Trust had the highest admission rate by population of any Primary Care Trust (PCT) in the country; at 307 admissions per 100,000 (430 admissions in total), while

Hampshire PCT had the highest number of admissions in total (1,570, or 121 per 100,000 of the population).

Today’s provisional report shows that in the 12 months to July 2011:

  • 68,530 asthma admissions were recorded in hospitals in England; 1.7 per cent (1,150) more than in the previous 12 month period (to July 2010). This compares to a 1.2 per cent rise for admissions of all types in the same period.
  • Patients aged 16 and under accounted for 40 per cent (27,650) of admissions.
  • South West SHA recorded the lowest rate of admissions by population, at 104 per 100,000 (5,460 admissions). North East SHA recorded the lowest total number of admissions (3,890); although this is the second highest rate by population at 149 per 100,000.
  • Isle Of Wight NHS PCT recorded the lowest number of admissions (93) and the lowest number of admissions (66) per 100,000 of the population.

NHS Information Centre chief executive Tim Straughan said: “These figures only reflect the most serious of asthma cases, where the patient needs to be admitted to hospital, and it is important to bear in mind that different regions may have different approaches to managing asthma in primary and secondary care.

“Nevertheless, today’s report does point to the North West as a hot spot for asthma admissions; information which will be of key interest to health professionals and the NHS, as well as the wider public.”

As well as within the attached report; headline tables for today’s publication are available at www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/provisionalmonthlyhes

ENDS

Notes to editors

  1. The NHS Information Centre is England’s authoritative, independent source of health and social care information. It works with a wide range of health and social care providers nationwide to provide the facts and figures that help the NHS and social services run effectively. Its role is to collect data, analyse it and convert it into useful information which helps providers improve their services and supports academics, researchers, regulators and policymakers in their work. The NHS Information Centre also produces a wide range of statistical publications each year across a number of areas including: primary care, health and lifestyles, screening, hospital care, population and geography, social care and workforce and pay statistics.
  2. HES provisional monthly data can be used for high level, aggregate analysis demonstrating approximate trends in activity. Lower level analysis should be approached with caution as not all activity will be correctly processed until the final annual data is produced. HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage of data recorded (particularly in earlier years), improvements in coverage of independent sector activity (particularly from 2006-07) and changes in NHS practice. For example, apparent reductions in activity may be due to a number of procedures which may now be undertaken in outpatient settings and so no longer include in admitted patient HES data.
  3. Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England and from some independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain. Figures refer to recorded admissions and are reliant upon the accurate and complete recording of cause of hospital admission.
  4. Today’s press release focuses on a special topic which is part of a wider monthly publication of all provisional inpatient activity in NHS hospitals in England. The publication includes provisional monthly data for April to July 2011 and final data for all months to March 2011
  5. External cause codes (ICD-10) for asthma can be accessed at www.hesonline.nhs.uk and are: J45 - Asthma; J45.0 - Predominantly allergic asthma; J45.1 - Non-allergic asthma; J45.8 - Mixed asthma; J45.9 - Asthma, unspecified; J46 - Status asthmaticus.
  6. Please note that these data should not be described as a count of people as the same person may have been admitted on more than one occasion.
  7. Percentages in this press release have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Numbers provided are rounded to the nearest 10.
  8. For media enquires please call 0845 257 6990 or email mediaenquiries@ic.nhs.uk

 

 

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