The specific information requested cannot be provided, as the average cost of admission through accident and emergency (A and E) departments is not collected. However, information is available on the average cost of treating patients in A and E departments who are subsequently admitted. This information is collected each year through the national health service reference cost collection exercise. The following table sets out the information reported for 2006-07. A copy of the national schedule of reference costs for 2006-07 has been placed in the Library and is also available on the Department’s website at:
www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_082571
Accident and emergency services Number of attendances National average unit cost (£) Number of data submissions Any investigation with category 5 treatment 107,805 102 92 Category 3 investigation with category 4 treatment 10,459 338 95 Category 3 investigation with category 1-3 treatment 82,486 151 127 Category 2 investigation with category 4 treatment 80,381 182 107 Category 2 investigation with category 3 treatment 134,832 158 120 Category 1 investigation with category 3-4 treatment 41,097 123 116 Category 2 investigation with category 2 treatment 166,338 140 117 Category 2 investigation with category 1 treatment 1,274,236 123 124 Category 1 investigation with category 1-2 treatment 629,947 90 127 Dental Care 72 477 8 No investigation with no significant treatment 920,579 71 126 Emergency and urgent care: Dead On Arrival 490 186 7 Notes: 1. National average unit costs are calculated on a weighted basis. 2. 2006-07 data are not directly comparable to 2005-06 due to the change from the HRG3.5 currency in 2005-06 to the HRG4 currency in 2006-07.