To ask the Secretary of State for Health what was the total number of finished consultant episodes in acute, geriatric and maternity specialties; how many were (a) elective admissions, (b) emergency admissions, (c) maternity admissions, (d) well babies born in hospital, (e) transfers from other departments in the same hospital and (f) transfers from another hospital, in each financial year since 1988–89.
[holding answer 23 April 1993]: Figures from the hospital episode system (HES) for 1989–90 have recently been published. More detailed analysis by method of admission showing the percentage distribution of episodes is shown in the table. Comparable data for 1988–89 and for 1990–91 and subsequent years is not yet available.
| Method of admission 1989–90 | |||
| Specialty groups | |||
| Specialty | Acute | Maternity | Geriatric3 |
| Number (000's) | 6,941 | 977 | 449 |
| Method of admission: | 3Per cent. | 3Per cent. | 3Per cent. |
| Elective | 46 | 1— | 13 |
| Emergency | 37 | 1— | 71 |
| Maternity | 3 | 1— | 0 |
| Well babies | 8 | 1— | 0 |
| Transfers from other district | 1 | 1— | 1 |
| Transfers within the district2 | 5 | 1— | 16 |
| 1 The distribution of admissions in the maternity sector are not shown since the deficiency of maternity records in HES makes estimates liable to large errors. | |||
| 2 Transfers within districts include transfers from departments in the same hospital. | |||
| 3 Percentages do not add up to 100 due to rounding. | |||
Source: Hospital Episode Statistics 1989–90.