Download England, 2010-2011: Data quality statement

The quality of the NHS Information Centre’s dental publications
This document summarises key aspects of the data quality of dental publications.
Report
measure
Activity
Accuracy
Relevance
Comparability
Timeliness
Accessibility
Burden
Confidentiality
Provisional data published in the
first 3 quarterly publications,
adjusted to provide estimated
final position for national data.
Adjustment methodology and
factors published in technical
annex.
Monitors levels
of activity
across
treatment
bands,
highlighting
practice
changes in
over time
Methodologies
consistent with those
used by Welsh
Assembly Government.
Covers period of
current contract
(introduced in 2006) –
not comparable with
previous contract.
Published
quarterly, 4½
months after
the end of the
relevant period
Accessible via
the NHS IC
internet as PDF
documents.
Additional
information
provided in
Excel format at
sub-national
level, including
flat files
suitable for
further
analysis. Data
are also
available to
NHS
colleagues in
an interactive
analytical tool,
for
management
purposes.
Data collected by
NHS Dental
Services, largely to
support PCTs in
the contract and
performance
management
processes. Majority
of information
collected
electronically and
data available for
publication as a byproduct of these
processes. Current
dental contract
designed to simplify
data collection
requirement.
Publications
are subject to a
standard NHS
IC risk
assessment
prior to issue.
Disclosure
control is
implemented
where judged
necessary.
Final data published annually
after end of year.
(Also applies to
Patients Seen, &
Patient Charges, data)
(Also applies to
Patients Seen,
& Patient
Charges, data)
(Also applies to
Patients Seen,
Patient Charges &
Clinical data)
(Also applies to
Patients Seen,
& Patient
Charges, data)
Report
measure
Patients seen
Accuracy
Relevance
Comparability
Timeliness
Accessibility
Burden
Confidentiality
Final data published each quarter.
The proportion of patients seen in
the previous 24 months used
population projections from the
Office for National Statistics. ONS
is currently in the process of
producing revised estimates for
2001 onwards. However, as
estimates for the years covered in
the annual report 2009/10 are not
yet available at the lowest level, we
have used the original estimates in
this report. We expect to introduce
revised population estimates in
future reports. This is likely to have
an impact on population based
measures such as the proportion of
patients seen, particularly at the
sub-national level.
Key use is to
monitor
effectiveness of
current dental
contract,
introduced in
2006
See page 1
Published
quarterly, 1 ½
months after
the end of the
relevant period
See page 1
See page 1
See page 1
In November 2010 an error was
discovered in the PCT population
estimates published in August 2009
by the ONS and used in this
publication. This has resulted in
some small inconsistencies
between local authority estimates
and 5 PCTs: Isle of Wight, Solihull,
North Lincolnshire, North-East
Lincolnshire and Lincolnshire. As
the error equates to less than 1%
for each PCT and as all populationbased data presented in this
publication will be updated when a
full time series of revised
populations data are available,
figures in this report have not been
adjusted to account for this error.
This error does not affect SHA and
national estimates.
Patients seen data at
monthly intervals have
been introduced for the
2010/11 reporting year.
Previous data are only
available at quarterly
intervals.
Report
measure
Patient
charges
Orthodontics
Accuracy
Relevance
Comparability
Timeliness
Accessibility
Burden
Confidentiality
Final data published annually.
Figures may be slightly lower than
expected as information not
collected from closed contracts,
although the volume of these is
minimal
Information at
PCT level
enables
benchmarking
against peers
See page 1
Published
annually, 4½
months after
the end of the
year
See page 1
See page 1
See page 1
Final data published annually
Summary data
on orthodontics
available from
2008/09, split
by SHA
Information first
published in 2008/09
on orthodontic activity.
Orthodontic patients
included in patients
seen measure.
Report
measure
Clinical
1
Accuracy
Relevance
Comparability
Timeliness
Accessibility
Burden
Confidentiality
Latest publication badged as
experimental statistics, reflecting
a series of quality issues around
non-completion of the source
data. Some data excluded to
account for this with national
figures estimated by weighting
figures. PCT level analyses
carried out to impact effect at
local level. Results of this analysis
published in a methodology
annex, alongside more detailed
description of the issue.1
Because of this work, no subnational level information
published. Improvements likely
with changes to data collection
forms from April 2010.
Data first
published in
2008 showing
level of clinical
intervention.
Once time
series
emerges, will
provide useful
information to
clinicians and
policy makers
alike
Not comparable with
clinical data from
previous contract.
Extensive analysis
carried out around
comparability –
fundamental in nature
of contract and data
collection practices. No
historical time series
reported. Inconsistent
in-completion of clinical
data set across PCTs
means that danger of
misleading comparison
if reported - data not
shown below national
level. Issue explored in
technical annex. 1
Next
publication
planned for
December
2010, 7 months
after end of
year, allowing
time for
extensive
analysis of noncompletion
Accessible via
the NHS IC
internet as PDF
documents.
See page 1
Publications
are subject to a
standard NHS
IC risk
assessment
prior to issue.
Available at http://www.ic.nhs.uk/statistics-and-data-collections/primary-care/dentistry/clinical-dental-report-england-and-wales-quarter-3-and-quarter-4-2008-09experimental-statistics
Data currently
published at
national level.
No risk of
disclosure.
Report
measure
Prescribing
Accuracy
Relevance
Comparability
Timeliness
Accessibility
Burden
Confidentiality
Long standing data collection.
Prescription Services have their
own internal quality process. They
advise that the total payment
made to dispensers is between
99.8% and 100.2% of the “true”
value based on a statistical
analysis. For further information
see:
http://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/Docum
ents/PPDImpact/imPACTjun2008.
pdf
Useful
information for
policy makers
particularly
around generic
prescribing
patterns.
Reports dental
prescribing patterns in
context of all
prescribing.
Published
around 4 ½
months after
the end of the
calendar year
Accessible via
the NHS IC
internet as PDF
documents.
Information
collected by NHS
Business Services
authority covering
all prescriptions. No
additional burden
on front line
Publications
are subject to a
standard NHS
IC risk
assessment
prior to issue.
Aggregate
data. No
disclosure risk
Report
measure
Workforce
Accuracy
Relevance
Comparability
Timeliness
Accessibility
Burden
Confidentiality
Data is collected and supplied by
NHS Business Services authority.
Once received the data is
validated, including comparison
checks to previous years with
anomalies questioned with data
supplier.
All information is quality assured
prior to publication by the BSA
The statistics
address Dental
workforce data,
including
different types
of dentist,
dental contract
types and
joiners, within
England. These
are used by the
Department of
Health, to
answer
Parliamentary
Questions,
press queries
and are
available for
use by any
NHS
organisation or
the general
public.
Due to the time-limited
nature of Personal
Dental Services (PDS)
agreements the figures
from 2008/09 may be
affected by how PCTs
maintain the Payments
On Line system (POL).
Many PDS contracts
are set up for a limited
three year period. In
anticipation that these
contracts would expire,
some dentists are
known to have
exercised their statutory
right to have their PDS
contracts terminated,
and be issued with
GDS contracts, action
would have had an
immediate effect in
reclassifying all
performers who had
worked under these
PDS agreements to
GDS agreements and
should be considered
when interpreting
information by contract
type at both a national
and local level.
The data is
made available
as soon as
possible after it
has been
validated and
compiled
(August each
year).
Accessible via
the NHS IC
internet as PDF
documents and
excel
spreadsheets.
Information
collected by NHS
Business Services
authority covering
all prescriptions. No
additional burden
on front line
Publications
are subject to a
standard NHS
IC risk
assessment
prior to issue.
For more detailed descriptions of datasets used in the NHS IC’s dental publications see the beginners guide to dental data at
http://www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/dental
Aggregate
data. No
disclosure risk