Hospital admissions rise by 6% in England

The number of people admitted to hospital for elective or emergency care rose by an average of 6% in England last year, an analysis shows. This compares with an average annual growth of 4.6% in the preceding three years and is reflected in similar rises in Wales and Northern Ireland, sparking fears of a financial crisis for the NHS unless the trend can be reversed. The analysis of hospital episode statistics by primary care trust, carried out by consultants CHKS, shows that in only a handful of trusts were admissions cut in 2008-9. The best performing area was Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, …