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Latest hospital admission data published

NHS Digital has today published figures on the number of NHS hospital admissions for 2020-21.

NHS Digital has today published figures on the number of NHS hospital admissions for 2020-21.

The Hospital Admitted Patient Care Activity, 2020-21 report includes data on Finished Consultant Episodes (FCEs)1 and Finished Admission Episodes (FAEs)2.

The data is broken down to cover information on:

  • Causes of admissions
  • Diagnoses on admission (provisional)3
  • Procedures carried out
  • Patient demographics
  • Regional or organisational breakdowns
  • Changes over time

The report covers admissions to NHS hospitals as well as NHS commissioned work in independent providers in England.

The data does not represent a count of individual people or patients as the same person could be admitted to hospital multiple times or seen by of number of different consultants.

The report uses data from the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES)4, which is an invaluable tool for the NHS to understand demands on the frontline, planning for new services and supports research into new treatments and drugs.

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.

Read the full report: Hospital Admitted Patient Care Activity 2020-21

Notes for 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. Mid And South Essex NHS Foundation Trust (RAJ) has notified NHS Digital of a data quality issue with diagnosis data it submitted. Although it was not possible to correct the issue in time for publication, NHS Digital will re-process and update the data following publication. Please note that diagnosis data in this publication are therefore provisional until the data are rectified.

  4. Hospital Episode Statistics are compiled from data sent by more than 180 NHS trusts in England and over 300 independent providers for activity commissioned by the NHS.




Last edited: 17 September 2021 2:46 pm