Statistics & Research
Hospital Statistics
Hospital Information Branch is responsible for the collection, quality assurance, primary analysis and publication of timely and accurate information derived from a wide range of statistical data supplied by the Health and Personal Social Services (HPSS). Data is provided routinely through various computerised patient information systems or by manual returns.
The Branch aims to present information in a meaningful way and give advice on its use to customers in the health and Social Services Committee, Professional Advisory Groups and policy branches within the Department. Information collected is used to answer hundreds of ad hoc enquiries each year including parliamentary questions and to contribute to major exercises such as Corporate monitoring, HPSS performance tables, other comparative performance exercises, target setting, management frameworks and policy evaluation.
Main Business Areas
The main business areas of work are:
- Collation and validation of information from providers and purchasers within the HPSS;
- Production of management reports on key activities;
- Production of annual statistical publication covering Hospital Statistics;
- Community Statistics and Performance Tables;
- Production of a quarterly waiting list bulletin;
- Provision of a primary analysis and query processing service;
- Monitoring trends in HPSS performance including monitoring performance against public and internal targets;
- Provision of support on a wide range of areas in connection with the data collection; Provision of professional advice and support to data users within the Department.

