§ Mr. BurstowTo ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his Answer of 4 February,Official Report, columns 964–65W, on health statistics, and the evidence to the Health Committee on 22 January, if he will break down the information by age. [158584]
§ Dr. LadymanQuarterly monitoring information for emergency re-admissions to hospital is collected only on an all ages basis. Hospital episode statistics data can be analysed to produce annual information on emergency re-admissions by age group, but this is not routinely done. I would be willing to request such an analysis for the hon. Member if he would find it helpful and would specify in which age groups he is interested.
Figures for delayed transfers of care for all ages, and over 75s, have been supplied for every quarter and have been placed in the Library, including the latest figures for 2003–04, Quarter 3 (December 2003).
§ Mr. BurnsTo ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to his answer of 5 February 2004,Official Report, column 1068W, on health statistics, and with reference to the evidence of the Under-Secretary of State for Health (Dr. Ladyman), to the Health Committee on 22 January, on what basis it was concluded that publishing hospital emergency re-admission statistics for over 75-year-olds by his Department was ageist. [160893]
§ Dr. LadymanA target and performance monitoring process for emergency readmissions of those aged over 75 could lead to a perverse incentive—the target to 1823W reduce emergency readmissions could lead to older people being denied hospital treatment when it is appropriate for them.