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Injuries: Offensive Weapons

Volume 479: debated on Monday 1 September 2008

To ask the Secretary of State for Health pursuant to the answer of 25 June 2008, Official Report, columns 361-62W, on injuries: offensive weapons, how many people were admitted to hospital with (a) stab wounds and (b) gunshot wounds aged (i) under 16, (ii) between 16 and 18 and (iii) over 18 years (A) in each year from 1996-97 to 2001-02 and (B) in 2007-08, broken down by strategic health authority. (218256)

[holding answer 16 July 2008]: Information is collected on the number of finished admission episodes to hospital. A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission as part of an episode of care within the year.

Part (i) of this parliamentary question refers to “stab wounds” therefore the clinical code “X99—Assault by sharp object”, has been used. This code includes cases where someone has been attacked using a sharp object of some kind (including but not exclusive to knives).

There is another code “W26”—contact with a knife, sword or dagger. This code is used for such diagnoses as accidental knife injuries and excludes assault. Therefore code W26 has not been used in this answer.

Information is not available for 2007-08 until December 2008. For this reason, 2006-07 data has been provided instead. The following three tables provide numbers by strategic health authority and age category; provides rates (number of admissions per 100,000 of the population) per strategic health authority; and summarises national data. When interpreting the data, reference should be made to the notes and clinical codes.

Total number of admissions* to hospital for stab wounds** and gunshot wounds*** for 2006-07, broken down by age and strategic health authority (SHA) of Residence, national health service hospitals, England and activity performed in the independent sector in England commissioned by English NHS

Gunshot wounds***

SHA of residence

Under 16 admissions

16-18 admissions

Over 18 admissions

Unknown age

England total

181

208

925

1

Q30

North East Strategic Health Authority

14

11

46

0

Q31

North West Strategic Health Authority

50

38

190

0

Q32

Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority

21

24

93

0

Q33

East Midlands Strategic Health Authority

18

9

69

0

Q34

West Midlands Strategic Health Authority

21

28

123

0

Q35

East of England Strategic Health Authority

13

16

74

0

Q36

London Strategic Health Authority

10

38

160

1

Q37

South East Coast Strategic Health Authority

9

19

45

0

Q38

South Central Strategic Health Authority

8

9

40

0

Q39

South West Strategic Health Authority

13

14

52

0

Y

Unknown

0

2

17

0

Non-English SHA of residence

4

0

16

0

Stab wounds**

SHA of residence

Under 16 admissions

16-18 admissions

Over 18 admissions

Unknown Age

England total

179

752

4,786

3

Q30

North East Strategic Health Authority

10

36

313

0

Q31

North West Strategic Health Authority

24

142

968

0

032

Yorkshire and the Humber Strategic Health Authority

19

58

498

0

Q33

East Midlands Strategic Health Authority

9

29

321

0

Q34

West Midlands Strategic Health Authority

16

93

474

0

Q35

East of England Strategic Health Authority

6

39

249

0

Q36

London Strategic Health Authority

72

252

1,071

0

Q37

South East Coast Strategic Health Authority

*

21

209

0

Q38

South Central Strategic Health Authority

*

29

194

1

Q39

South West Strategic Health Authority

12

25

267

0

Y

Unknown

1

21

103

1

Non-English SHA of residence

0

7

119

1

Total number of admissions* to hospital for stab wounds** for years 1996-97 to 2001-02, broken down by age and strategic health authority (SHA) of residence, national health service hospitals England and activity performed in the independent sector in England commissioned by English NHS

2001-02

2000-01

Under 16

16 to 18

Over 18

Unknown age

Under 16

16 to 18

Over 18

Unknown age

England Total

132

508

3,973

29

130

444

3,662

13

Q01

Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire HA

*

15

86

*

*

108

Q02

Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire HA

*

10

77

*

*

64

Q03

Essex HA

*

10

90

*

12

77

Q04

North West London HA

6

33

207

8

*

23

171

2

Q05

North Central London HA

9

22

198

1

11

24

173

1

Q06

North East London HA

9

42

273

17

46

246

Q07

South East London HA

13

33

217

1

8

28

218

Q08

South West London HA

7

9

122

3

*

15

81

1

Q09

Northumberland, Tyne and Wear HA

7

21

168

*

21

152

Q10

County Durham and Tees Valley HA

11

14

129

*

11

97

Q11

North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire HA

*

*

76

3

*

9

67

Q12

West Yorkshire HA

*

24

176

9

19

139

Q13

Cumbria and Lancashire HA

*

22

176

8

13

144

Q14

Greater Manchester HA

12

49

305

17

40

347

Q15

Cheshire and Merseyside HA

9

36

261

*

26

203

Q16

Thames Valley HA

*

14

81

*

*

85

Q17

Hampshire and Isle of Wight HA

*

10

64

*

7

58

Q18

Kent and Medway HA

*

12

65

*

*

69

Q19

Surrey and Sussex HA

6

15

88

3

*

12

92

2

Q20

Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire HA

*

9

98

*

13

109

Q21

South West Peninsula HA

*

*

59

*

7

39

Q22

Dorset and Somerset HA

0

*

27

*

10

43

Q23

South Yorkshire HA

*

11

86

*

10

108

Q24

Trent HA

*

16

160

*

16

170

Q25

Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland HA

*

7

94

*

6

59

Q26

Shropshire and Staffordshire HA

*

*

35

*

*

39

Q27

Birmingham and the Black Country HA

7

34

306

1

7

42

278

1

Q28

Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire HA

*

10

79

*

*

78

S

Scotland

0

0

*

0

*

*

U

England—Not Otherwise Specified

0

*

53

2

0

6

52

2

W

Wales

*

0

10

0

0

10

X

Foreign (Including Isle of Man and Channel Islands)

0

*

7

0

*

7

Y

Not Known

0

6

94

7

*

*

72

4

Z

Northern Ireland

0

0

*

0

0

*

1999-20001998-99

Under 16

16 to 18

Over 18

Unknown age

Under 16

16 to 18

Over 18

Unknown age

England Total

118

437

3,549

21

88

355

3,206

18

Q01

Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire HA

0

8

106

*

7

77

Q02

Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire HA

*

7

46

*

*

47

Q03

Essex HA

*

13

86

0

10

64

Q04

North West London HA

*

25

157

4

*

17

146

0

Q05

North Central London HA

8

31

150

2

*

15

124

4

Q06

North East London HA

7

27

199

3

*

25

172

Q07

South East London HA

8

31

171

*

11

154

2

Q08

South West London HA

*

10

76

1

*

8

74

Q09

Northumberland, Tyne and Wear HA

*

24

149

*

14

142

Q10

County Durham and Tees Valley HA

*

11

103

*

12

92

1

Q11

North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire HA

*

*

77

6

13

91

Q12

West Yorkshire HA

8

15

149

*

16

134

Q13

Cumbria and Lancashire HA

*

12

143

*

11

131

Q14

Greater Manchester HA

16

54

422

14

35

347

2

Q15

Cheshire and Merseyside HA

6

25

208

8

22

205

1

Q16

Thames Valley HA

0

15

91

0

8

74

1

Q17

Hampshire and Isle of Wight HA

0

6

58

*

7

75

Q18

Kent and Medway HA

*

8

56

1

*

*

52

Q19

Surrey and Sussex HA

*

*

101

*

6

67

Q20

Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire HA

*

9

112

*

9

110

Q21

South West Peninsula HA

*

7

48

*

7

54

Q22

Dorset and Somerset HA

0

6

37

*

*

47

Q23

South Yorkshire HA

*

7

98

*

12

80

Q24

Trent HA

9

13

155

1

*

20

111

Q25

Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland HA

*

9

56

*

8

89

Q26

Shropshire and Staffordshire HA

*

*

51

*

*

46

Q27

Birmingham and the Black Country HA

6

34

253

1

*

30

239

1

Q28

Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire HA

*

7

70

*

*

68

S

Scotland

0

*

*

0

*

*

U

England—Not Otherwise Specified

0

0

0

0

0

0

W

Wales

0

*

20

4

0

0

18

3

X

Foreign (Including Isle of Man and Channel Islands)

*

*

*

*

*

9

Y

Not Known

0

*

91

4

*

10

65

3

Z

Northern Ireland

0

0

0

0

0

*

1997-981996-97

Under 16

16 to 18

Over 18

Unknown age

Under 16

16 to 18

Over 18

Unknown age

England Total

112

422

3,283

58

114

416

3,360

52

Q01

Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire HA

*

10

99

*

11

89

Q02

Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire HA

*

8

61

*

14

69

1

Q03

Essex HA

0

*

85

0

6

69

Q04

North West London HA

*

29

198

*

9

172

4

Q05

North Central London HA

*

14

129

*

16

130

2

Q06

North East London HA

*

22

187

2

10

28

228

Q07

South East London HA

7

22

151

2

8

28

158

1

Q08

South West London HA

6

12

79

*

19

107

Q09

Northumberland, Tyne and Wear HA

*

12

127

7

17

143

Q10

County Durham and Tees Valley HA

8

17

82

6

13

107

Q11

North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire HA

*

*

32

0

8

36

Q12

West Yorkshire HA

8

18

142

7

12

139

Q13

Cumbria and Lancashire HA

7

17

133

*

10

110

Q14

Greater Manchester HA

14

48

382

17

50

358

Q15

Cheshire and Merseyside HA

*

28

194

*

20

242

1

Q16

Thames Valley HA

*

8

87

*

15

68

Q17

Hampshire and Isle of Wight HA

*

9

50

*

*

41

Q18

Kent and Medway HA

*

6

61

0

*

56

Q19

Surrey and Sussex HA

*

11

105

1

*

9

122

Q20

Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire HA

*

9

84

*

14

109

Q21

South West Peninsula HA

*

14

62

0

10

52

Q22

Dorset and Somerset HA

*

*

32

*

6

33

Q23

South Yorkshire HA

*

9

82

*

7

72

Q24

Trent HA

6

13

106

*

18

126

Q25

Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland HA

*

9

74

0

8

60

Q26

Shropshire and Staffordshire HA

0

6

45

0

*

38

Q27

Birmingham and the Black Country HA

*

33

233

1

18

39

270

Q28

Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire HA

*

10

75

1

*

6

70

S

Scotland

0

0

*

0

0

*

U

England—Not Otherwise Specified

0

*

21

1

0

*

16

4

W

Wales

*

*

13

0

*

6

X

Foreign (Including Isle of Man and Channel Islands)

0

0

*

0

*

*

Y

Not Known

0

14

65

50

*

*

59

39

Z

Northern Ireland

0

*

*

0

0

0

Total number of admissions* to hospital for gunshot wounds*** for years 1996-97 to 2001-02, broken down by age and strategic health authority (SHA) of residence, national health service hospitals England and activity performed in the independent sector in England commissioned by English NHS

2001-02

2000-01

Under 16

16 to 18

Over 18

Unknown age

Under 16

16 to 18

Over 18

Unknown age

England Total

321

206

890

3

287

192

641

2

Q01

Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire HA

12

*

26

6

*

19

Q02

Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire HA

*

*

15

6

8

12

Q03

Essex HA

6

6

13

7

*

16

Q04

North West London HA

*

*

27

*

28

Q05

North Central London HA

*

7

41

*

*

21

Q06

North East London HA

6

*

51

12

*

32

Q07

South East London HA

9

*

44

*

*

40

Q08

South West London HA

*

*

17

*

12

Q09

Northumberland, Tyne and Wear HA

9

14

24

24

12

16

Q10

County Durham and Tees Valley HA

18

*

15

14

6

*

Q11

North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire HA

13

9

24

1

10

10

20

Q12

West Yorkshire HA

16

21

64

18

14

35

Q13

Cumbria and Lancashire HA

16

15

32

14

11

37

Q14

Greater Manchester HA

35

26

62

33

22

54

1

Q15

Cheshire and Merseyside HA

27

14

56

15

11

43

Q16

Thames Valley HA

8

7

21

9

*

25

Q17

Hampshire and Isle of Wight HA

8

24

*

*

19

Q18

Kent and Medway HA

13

9

25

9

*

14

Q19

Surrey and Sussex HA

9

*

28

1

6

*

16

Q20

Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire HA

13

*

32

11

*

16

Q21

South West Peninsula HA

8

*

13

9

*

15

Q22

Dorset and Somerset HA

11

*

17

6

*

*

Q23

South Yorkshire HA

21

10

30

18

9

21

Q24

Trent HA

17

11

41

14

10

22

Q25

Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland HA

*

*

19

*

7

18

Q26

Shropshire and Staffordshire HA

11

*

13

9

6

14

Q27

Birmingham and the Black Country HA

15

10

61

15

10

37

Q28

Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire HA

*

*

16

*

*

16

S

Scotland

*

U

England—Not Otherwise Specified

*

7

0

W

Wales

*

*

*

*

X

Foreign (Including Isle of Man and Channel Islands)

10

*

*

*

Y

Not Known

*

*

17

1

*

*

6

1

Z

Northern Ireland

1999-20001998-99

Under 16

16 to 18

Over 18

Unknown age

Under 16

16 to 18

Over 18

Unknown age

England Total

362

189

618

1

279

158

548

2

Q01

Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire HA

10

7

28

13

*

32

Q02

Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire HA

11

*

12

*

*

9

Q03

Essex HA

12

*

21

8

*

19

Q04

North West London HA

*

24

1

*

15

1

Q05

North Central London HA

*

*

16

*

*

8

Q06

North East London HA

13

6

22

*

*

22

Q07

South East London HA

7

*

26

*

*

34

Q08

South West London HA

*

*

16

*

*

7

1

Q09

Northumberland, Tyne and Wear HA

12

6

31

18

11

22

Q10

County Durham and Tees Valley HA

7

9

12

15

8

12

Q11

North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire HA

9

*

15

7

8

17

Q12

West Yorkshire HA

18

8

37

22

14

18

Q13

Cumbria and Lancashire HA

22

13

17

12

10

22

Q14

Greater Manchester HA

50

22

74

23

18

55

Q15

Cheshire and Merseyside HA

33

10

31

29

10

33

Q16

Thames Valley HA

14

7

16

*

*

16

Q17

Hampshire and Isle of Wight HA

11

*

16

9

14

Q18

Kent and Medway HA

*

6

*

6

*

12

Q19

Surrey and Sussex HA

9

*

13

12

*

23

Q20

Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire HA

14

*

23

*

8

14

Q21

South West Peninsula HA

12

*

14

10

*

11

Q22

Dorset and Somerset HA

*

*

*

6

*

12

Q23

South Yorkshire HA

15

10

17

16

*

18

Q24

Trent HA

20

9

37

18

8

37

Q25

Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland HA

9

*

14

*

*

15

Q26

Shropshire and Staffordshire HA

8

13

16

10

6

12

Q27

Birmingham and the Black Country HA

16

9

34

8

*

18

Q28

Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire HA

8

*

13

8

*

11

S

Scotland

*

U

England—Not Otherwise Specified

W

Wales

*

*

*

*

*

X

Foreign (Including Isle of Man and Channel Islands)

*

*

*

Y

Not Known

*

*

*

0

*

*

Z

Northern Ireland

*

*

1997-981996-97

Under 16

16 to 18

Over 18

Unknown age

Under 16

16 to 18

Over 18

Unknown age

England Total

260

146

579

9

333

168

572

11

Q01

Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire HA

8

6

17

9

*

24

Q02

Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire HA

*

*

8

7

*

13

Q03

Essex HA

*

*

16

9

6

16

Q04

North West London HA

*

6

24

6

*

17

Q05

North Central London HA

*

*

17

*

*

12

Q06

North East London HA

*

*

20

*

*

19

Q07

South East London HA

8

*

32

*

8

37

Q08

South West London HA

*

*

14

*

21

Q09

Northumberland, Tyne and Wear HA

17

9

15

29

6

30

Q10

County Durham and Tees Valley HA

8

*

19

19

*

11

Q11

North and East Yorkshire and Northern Lincolnshire HA

7

*

*

*

*

6

Q12

West Yorkshire HA

21

10

26

18

7

32

Q13

Cumbria and Lancashire HA

17

14

22

20

7

20

Q14

Greater Manchester HA

24

20

53

34

23

51

Q15

Cheshire and Merseyside HA

14

6

38

17

12

47

Q16

Thames Valley HA

*

*

18

9

*

14

Q17

Hampshire and Isle of Wight HA

8

*

15

9

*

10

Q18

Kent and Medway HA

*

*

18

8

*

15

Q19

Surrey and Sussex HA

*

*

24

11

6

19

Q20

Avon, Gloucestershire and Wiltshire HA

7

*

22

6

9

14

Q21

South West Peninsula HA

9

6

10

10

*

6

Q22

Dorset and Somerset HA

*

*

10

9

*

6

Q23

South Yorkshire HA

11

6

*

13

11

17

Q24

Trent HA

12

12

30

23

8

22

Q25

Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Rutland HA

9

*

18

*

*

17

Q26

Shropshire and Staffordshire HA

12

*

17

13

*

8

Q27

Birmingham and the Black Country HA

17

33

17

12

23

Q28

Coventry, Warwickshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire HA

*

*

9

8

*

23

S

Scotland

U

England—Not Otherwise Specified

*

*

*

W

Wales

*

*

6

*

*

X

Foreign (Including Isle of Man and Channel Islands)

*

Y

Not Known

*

16

9

*

*

13

11

Z

Northern Ireland

Notes:

* The technical term for what has been supplied is finished admission episodes.

Assignment of Episodes to Years

Years are assigned by the end of the first period of care in a patient’s hospital stay.

Finished admission episodes

A finished admission episode is the first period of in-patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. Admissions do not represent the number of in-patients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year.

Cause code—stab wounds** and gunshot wounds***

The cause code is a supplementary code that indicates the nature of any external cause of injury, poisoning or other adverse effects.

Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) has used the following ICD-10 external cause codes when referring to gunshot wounds and knife-related injuries.

** Stab wounds:

X99.—Assault by sharp object

*** Gunshot wounds:

W32.—Handgun discharge

W33.—Rifle, shotgun and larger firearm discharge

W34.—Discharge from other and unspecified firearms

X72.—Intentional self-harm by handgun discharge

X73.—Intentional self-harm by rifle, shotgun and larger firearm discharge

X74.—Intentional self-harm by other and unspecified firearm discharge

X93.—Assault by handgun discharge

X94.—Assault by rifle, shotgun and larger firearm discharge

X95.—Assault by other and unspecified firearm discharge

Y22.—Handgun discharge, undetermined intent

Y23.—Rifle, shotgun and larger firearm discharge, undetermined intent

Y24.—Other and unspecified firearm discharge, undetermined intent

Y35.0 Legal intervention involving firearm discharge

Y36.4 War operations involving firearm discharge and other forms of conventional warfare

Data Quality

HES are compiled from data sent by over 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies and the effect of missing and invalid data via HES processes. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain.

Assessing growth through time

HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. During the years that these records have been collected, the NHS there have seen ongoing improvements in quality and coverage. These improvements in information submitted by the NHS have been particularly marked in the earlier years and need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. Changes in NHS practice also need to be borne in mind when analysing time series. For example, a number of procedures may now be undertaken in out-patient settings and may no longer be accounted in the HES data. This may account for any reductions in activity over time.

Ungrossed Data

Figures have not been adjusted for shortfalls in data (i.e. the data are ungrossed).

Low Numbers

Due to reasons of confidentiality, figures between 1 and 5 have been suppressed and replaced with “*” (an asterisk).

PCT and SHA Data Quality

PCT and SHA data was added to historic data-years in the HES database using 2002-03 boundaries, as a one-off exercise in 2004. The quality of the data on PCT of Treatment and SHA of Treatment is poor in 1996-97, 1997-98 and 1998-99, with over a third of all finished episodes having missing values in these years. Data quality of PCT of general practitioner (GP) practice and SHA of GP practice in 1997-98 and 1998-99 is also poor, with a high proportion missing values where practices changed or ceased to exist. There is less change in completeness of the residence-based fields over time, where the majority of unknown values are due to missing postcodes on birth episodes. Users of time series analysis including these years need to be aware of these issues in their interpretation of the data.

Source:

HES, The NHS Information Centre for health and social care.