Out of area hospitalisations - The view from current routine statistics

Abstract

Aims and method: To examine what current routine statistics could show about the extent to which patients are admitted to hospital beds 'out of area', a quality indicator proposed in the National Service Framework. Results: Available data record that, on average, at least 6.9% of acute general psychiatry admissions in the English NHS happen outside the normal catchment area arrangement of a patient's health authority. However, deficiencies in the calculation - arising from lack of data, mainly about private sector admissions - and the absence of a central registry of NHS trust catchment areas suggest this is a substantial underestimate. Clinical implications: The most useful way for this issue to be examined is from year to year for individual trusts.