HC Deb 22 January 2001 vol 361 c436W
Mr. Burstow

To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will make it his policy to issue guidance within the NHS on the collection of data relating to the age of patients. [146389]

Mr. Hutton

National Health Service guidance already exists for collecting and recording the date of birth of NHS patients in hospital information systems. The age of a patient can subsequently be derived from this date of birth where appropriate.

Patients registering with their general practitioner or calling NHS Direct for health advice are routinely asked to provide their date of birth. This information, where provided, is recorded in the appropriate information systems.