Health written question – answered at on 18 December 2012.
To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the average age was of people diagnosed with (a) diabetic retinopathy, (b) cataracts and (c) age-related macular degeneration in (i) Plymouth and (ii) Devon in 2011.
The Health and Social Care Information Centre has provided the mean age for finished consultant episodes (FCEs) with a primary or secondary diagnosis of diabetic retinopathy, cataracts, and age-related macular degeneration for Plymouth Teaching Primary Care Trust (PCT) and Devon PCT of residence for 2011-12.
It should be noted that these figures only include those people admitted to hospital for the above conditions. It should also be noted that since the same patient may be treated more than once in the year, their age will be counted more than once in the calculation of mean age.
No ICD-10 coding exists specifically for age related macular degeneration—only ‘degeneration of macula and posterior pole’.
The following table shows mean age (in years) for FCEs(1) with a named primary or secondary diagnosis(2) of diabetic retinopathy(3), cataracts(4) and age-related macular degeneration(5) for Plymouth Teaching PCT and Devon PCT of residence(6), for 2011-12.
Activity in English NHS Hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector | ||
5QQ: Devon PCT | 5F1: Plymouth Teaching PCT | |
Diabetic retinopathy | 69 | 65 |
Cataracts | 77 | 76 |
Macular degeneration | 82 | 81 |
(1 )Finished Consultant Episode (FCE) A finished consultant episode (FCE) is a continuous period of admitted patient care under one consultant within one health care provider. FCEs are counted against the year in which they end. Figures do not represent the number of different patients, as a person may have more than one episode of care within the same stay in hospital or in different stays in the same year. (2 )Number of episodes in which the patient had a (named) primary or secondary diagnosis The number of episodes where this diagnosis was recorded in any of the 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) primary and secondary diagnosis fields in a Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) record. Each episode is only counted once, even if the diagnosis is recorded in more than one diagnosis field of the record. (3 )Diabetic Retinopathy CD-10 codes used to identify diabetic retinopathy. Each of the following codes must be immediately followed by H36.0 (H36.0 A Diabetic retinopathy): E10.3 D Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus with ophthalmic complications E11.3 D Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus with ophthalmic complications E12.3 D Malnutrition-related diabetes mellitus with ophthalmic complications E13.3 D Other specified diabetes mellitus with ophthalmic complications E14.3 D Unspecified diabetes mellitus with ophthalmic complications (4 )Cataracts ICD-10 codes used to identify cataracts: H25 Senile cataract H26 Other cataract H28.0A Diabetic cataract (must be preceded by one of the following codes E10.3, E11.3, E12.3, E13.3 or E14.3 in order to be included). In order to be included, the following two codes should only appear in a secondary diagnosis position: H28.1A Cataract in other endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases H28.2A Cataract in other diseases classified elsewhere Q12.0 Congenital cataract (5 )Macular Degeneration It is not possible to identify age-related macular degeneration using HES data. The ICD-10 code used to identify macular degeneration is: H35.3 Degeneration of macula and posterior pole (6 )PCT of residence The strategic health authority (SHA) or PCT containing the patient's normal home address. This does not necessarily reflect where the patient was treated as they may have travelled to another SHA/PCT for treatment. A change in methodology in 2011-12 resulted in an increase in the number of records where the PCT or SHA of residence was unknown. From 2006-07 to 2010-11 the current PCT and SHA of residence fields were populated from the recorded patient postcode. In order to improve data completeness, if the postcode was unknown the PCT, SHA and country of residence were populated from the PCT/SHA value supplied by the provider. From April 2011-12 onwards if the patient postcode is unknown the PCT, SHA and country of residence are listed as unknown. Data quality: HES are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and PCTs in England and from some independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. Health and Social Care Information Centre liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain. Source: Hospital Episodes Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre |
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