UK consistency of Hospital Admission Waiting Times

Users of official statistics often express concern about definitional differences between statistics for the four UK administrations. This problem most commonly arises where each administration draws its own statistics from administrative systems which operate slightly differently in each country. The standards and classifications adopted will usually reflect the specific legislation, practice and policies in each country and the ways these have developed. This means that the differences are sometimes deeply embedded and there is little prospect of resolving them by proposing changes to administrative procedures in one or more country. Statistics from National Health Service systems are one example where administrative differences can lead to statistical inconsistency. Such inconsistency then hampers analysis – including analysis of the differences in administrative practice. In its 2004 report 'Enhancing the Value of Health Statistics: User Perspectives', the Statistics Commission noted the problems arising from a lack of standardisation in health statistics between the four administrations. In particular it highlighted a lack of comparability in statistics about waiting times for treatment, and recommended further research to examine the most effective means of harmonising the data. This Monitoring and Assessment Note highlights subsequent developments in the production and reporting of comparable waiting time data by the relevant statistical offices in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. It illustrates a ‘non-invasive ’ approach that supports analysis without requiring change in NHS administrative practice or statistical arrangements. As such it may offer a model that could be adapted to other fields. The statistical offices in the four administrations established a UK Comparative Waiting Times Group, which commissioned a review of waiting time definitions in each of the administrations and then undertook a project to produce harmonised data. A table of comparable waiting times in the four countries was published for the first time in the United Kingdom Health Statistics volume i