Referrals and Readmissions

HC Deb 14 February 1994 vol 237 c620W

Mr. Cousins

To ask the Secretary of State for Health (1) how second referrals and readmissions are recorded within the NHS patient volume record system; and what percentage of finished consultant episodes are second referrals and readmissions;

(2) pursuant to her answer to the hon. Member for Bristol, South (Ms Primarolo) of 31 January, Official Report, column 531, how readmissions are recorded in finished consultant episode statistics.

Mr. Sackville

All admissions to national health service hospitals are recorded as consultant episodes, reflecting the use of resources by consultant specialists. Readmissions from any source are included in the count but cannot be separately identified. On admission to hospital, a patient commences a hospital spell which may include periods of care under more than one consultant. There are about 103 consultant episodes for every 1100 spells in hospital. Patients referred to hospital consultants by general practitioners are usually seen in out-patients clinics. New referrals, including second referrals for the same condition, are recorded as new attendances, subsequent attendances are recorded as consultant initiated attendances. Second referrals to out-patient clinics cannot be identified separately.