The information requested is in the following table:
Number of bed days for emergency admission group Total number of bed days for all admission groups Emergency bed days expressed as a percentage of the total number of bed days 1997-98 30,342,827 49,535,706 61.3 1998-99 31,177,520 49,863,665 62.5 1999-2000 31,269,251 49,539,741 63.1 2000-01 32,178,037 50,196,951 64.1 2001-02 32,925,334 50,776,911 64.8 2002-03 33,131,586 51,232,337 64.7 2003-04 33,592,698 51,198,417 65.6 2004-05 33,073,383 50,518,668 65.5 Notes: Bed days during the year for finished episodes. Total bed days during the year from episode start date or 1 April (whichever is later) to episode end date or 31 March (whichever is earlier). Admission methods for the emergency admissions included above are: 21 Emergency—via Accident and Emergency (A and E) services, including the casualty department of the provider 22 Emergency—via general practitioner 23 Emergency—via Bed Bureau, including the Central Bureau 24 Emergency—via consultant out-patient clinic 28 Emergency—other means, including patients who arrive via the A and E department of another health care provider Data quality Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) are compiled from data sent by over 300 NHS Trusts and Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) in England Source: Hospital Episodes Statistics (HES), The Information Centre for health and social care