§ Sandra GidleyTo ask the Secretary of State for Health for what reason his Department no longer collects information for patients aged 75 and over on emergency readmissions to hospital within 28 days of discharge. [149008]
§ Dr. LadymanThe target, and subsequently the collection of monitoring information on emergency readmissions, was changed from that relating only to patients aged 75 because it was perceived as being ageist in that older people could be denied access to hospital services in order to meet a performance target. Emergency readmissions targets and data collections have, therefore, covered all ages since April 2002.