Dementia Assessment and Referral data collection – September 2016
Dementia Assessment and Referral data collection – Q2 2016-17
The September 2016 and Quarter 2 2016-17 data for the Dementia Assessment and
Referral data collection in England by NHS England were released on 7th December 2016
according to the arrangements approved by the UK Statistics Authority.
The collection’s purpose is to improve the identification of older patients with dementia and
delirium, to monitor appropriate assessment and to prompt appropriate referral and follow
up after they leave hospital. Three measures are reported – the number and proportion of
patients aged 75 and over admitted as an emergency for more than 72 hours:
i) who have a diagnosis of dementia or delirium or to whom case finding is applied;
[Find]
ii) who, if identified as potentially having dementia or delirium, are appropriately
assessed; [Assess/Investigate], and,
iii) where the outcome was positive or inconclusive, are referred on to specialist
services. [Refer]
The Dementia Assessment and Referral collection was retired as a CQUIN collection at the
start of April 2016 but retained in the standard contract as a mandatory submission for
acute trusts. The desired level of performance is at least 90% on each part of the indicator.
Measure iii) has changed back to being collected by providers and to its 2014/15 definition.
Data are no longer collected from community trusts or CCGs. The acute trusts have
maintained a good response rate similar to previous months.
Monthly Publication –September 2016
The total number of data returns submitted by NHS Foundation and Non-Foundation Trusts
providing acute funded care was 146 in September 2016, compared to 148 in August 2016.
There were 2 nil returns, compared to 3 in August. Nil returns are excluded from the results
presented below.
Data by Total Patients
i) Overall, 89.5% of patients aged 75 and over admitted as an emergency for more
than 72 hours were initially identified or given case finding for potential dementia in
September 2016, compared to 89.7% in August.
ii) Of the patients initially identified or found as potentially having dementia, 94.2%
were further appropriately assessed in September 2016, compared with 92.5% in
August.
iii) Of the patients whose outcome was positive or inconclusive, 94.2% were referred
for specialist services in September 2016, compared with 95.1% in August.
Data by Acute Trusts
i) 76.4% (110 trusts) achieved at least 90% in September 2016 in carrying out initial
identification (using case finding) for potential cases of dementia amongst patients
aged 75 and over who were admitted as an emergency for more than 72 hours,
compared to 75.9% (110 trusts) in August.
ii) 82.6% (119 trusts) achieved at least 90% in September 2016 in carrying out further
appropriate assessments, compared with 76.6% (111 trusts) in August.
iii) 75.0% (108 trusts) achieved at least 90% in September 2016 in referring on to
specialist services, compared with 72.4% (105 trusts) in August.
88 acute trusts (61.1%) achieved at least 90% in all three measures in September 2016.
Quarterly Publication – Quarter 2 2016/17 (July, August, September
combined)
The total number of NHS Foundation and Non-Foundation Trusts providing acute funded
care who submitted data returns, in at least one of the months, was 148 in Quarter 2
2016/17, compared to 148 in Quarter 1 2016/17. Three trusts submitted only nil returns,
one less than Quarter 1 2016/17. Nil returns are excluded from the results presented below.
Data by Total Patients
iv) Overall, 89.9% of patients aged 75 and over admitted as an emergency for more
than 72 hours were initially identified or given case finding for potential dementia in
Quarter 2 2016/17, compared to 90.1% in Quarter 1 2016/17.
v) Of the patients initially identified or found as potentially having dementia, 93.3%
were further appropriately assessed in Quarter 2 2016/17, compared with 94.4% in
Quarter 1 2016/17.
vi) Of the patients whose outcome was positive or inconclusive, 94.2% were referred
for specialist services in Quarter 2 2016/17, compared with 93.8% in Quarter 1
2016/17.
Data by Acute Trusts
iv) 71.7% (104 trusts) achieved at least 90% in Quarter 2 2016/17 in carrying out initial
identification (using case finding) for potential cases of dementia amongst patients
aged 75 and over who were admitted as an emergency for more than 72 hours,
compared to 73.6% (106 trusts) in Quarter 1 2016/17.
v) 83.4% (121 trusts) achieved at least 90% in Quarter 2 2016/17 in carrying out further
appropriate assessments, compared with 84.7% (122 trusts) in Quarter 1 2016/17.
vi) 77.9% (113 trusts) achieved at least 90% in Quarter 2 2016/17 in referring on to
specialist services, compared with 78.5% (113 trusts) in Quarter 1 2016/17.
91 acute trusts (62.8%) achieved at least 90% in all three measures in Quarter 2 2016/17.
The full data tables, the return guidance, and a more detailed commentary each quarter,
can be found on the NHS England website:
http://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/dementia/