Injuries caused by dogs caused 6,120 hospital admissions in England (of 14.8 million total admissions) from May 2010 to April 2011 – five per cent more than in the previous 12 month period, provisional figures from The NHS Information Centre show today.

April 2011 – the latest month available – also recorded the highest number of admissions due to being injured by a dog (640) of any of the 24 months from May 2009. This continues an annual pattern that rises and peaks between April and August.

Today's report focuses on those with more serious injuries which result in hospital admissions and not those dealt with solely in A&E. It shows that about one in six (17 per cent) dog injury admissions in the 12 months to April 2011 related to a child under 10 (1010 in total).

The report also shows that dog-related injuries accounted for about half of all the 12,410 admissions caused by being bitten or struck by various creatures in the 12 months to April 2011. Between May 2010 and April 2011:

• Admissions for injuries caused by dogs increased by five per cent compared to the previous 12 month period; while the increase for all admissions was 1.8 per cent.
• North West Strategic Health Authority (SHA) recorded the highest number of dog injury admissions (1,090, or 51 per 100,000 admissions) of any region. However, the highest rate per 100,000 admissions in that period was in the North East SHA at 58 per 100,000 (500 admissions in total).
• There was a 19 per cent rise in admissions caused by bites or stings from non-venomous insects or arthropods, which include bedbugs, mosquitoes and fleas, on the previous 12 month period (from 3,040 to 3,620) with a high peak in summer. London SHA had the highest rate of admissions for these injuries (27 per 100,000 admissions) – with an admission of this type being about as likely as an admission for a dog injury.
• 2,560 admissions were caused by being bitten or struck by other mammals; including cows, horses and pigs; an eight per cent rise on the previous 12 month period. Southwest SHA has the highest rate of admissions for these injuries (410; or 27 per 100,000 admissions)

NHS Information Centre chief executive Tim Straughan said: “Our statistics show that the summer is a seasonal hotspot for admissions to hospital for injuries caused by dogs; coupled with a five per cent rise overall for such admissions between the latest and previous 12 month period. However, the same timeframe also saw an increase in admissions for injuries inflicted by other creatures – from bugs and horses to cows and pigs.

“It is also perhaps surprising to some that a bite or sting from a non venomous insect can be so severe it can result in admission to hospital – but clearly this was the case for some 3,620 admissions in the 12 months to April 2011.”

Headline tables for today's publication are available at www.ic.nhs.uk/pubs/provisionalmonthlyhes

ENDS

Notes to editors

1. The NHS Information Centre is England's authoritative, independent source of health and social care information. It works with a wide range of health and social care providers nationwide to provide the facts and figures that help the NHS and social services run effectively. Its role is to collect data, analyse it and convert it into useful information which helps providers improve their services and supports academics, researchers, regulators and policymakers in their work. The NHS Information Centre also produces a wide range of statistical publications each year across a number of areas including: primary care, health and lifestyles, screening, hospital care, population and geography, social care and workforce and pay statistics.
2. HES provisional monthly data can be used for high level, aggregate analysis demonstrating approximate trends in activity. Lower level analysis should be approached with caution as not all activity will be correctly processed until the final annual data is produced. HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage of data recorded (particularly in earlier years), improvements in coverage of independent sector activity (particularly from 2006-07) and changes in NHS practice. For example, apparent reductions in activity may be due to a number of procedures which may now be undertaken in outpatient settings and so no longer include in admitted patient HES data.
3. Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs) in England and from some independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care 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. Figures refer to recorded admissions, and are reliant upon the accurate and complete recording of cause of hospital admission.
4. The publication includes provisional monthly data from April 2010 to April 2011 and final data for May 2009 to April 2010
5. External cause codes (ICD-10) for bites can be accessed at www.hesonline.nhs.uk and are: W54 – bitten or struck by a dog; W55 – bitten or struck by other mammals; W57 – Bitten or struck by non-venomous insect and other non-venomous arthropods. “Others” include W53 – bitten by rat; W56 – contact with marine animal, W57 – bitten or struck by crocodile and alligator, W59 – bitten or crushed by other reptiles
6. Please note that these data should not be described as a count of people as the same person may have been admitted on more than one occasion.
7. Percentages in this press release have been rounded to the nearest whole number. Numbers provided are rounded to the nearest 10.
8. For media enquires please call 0845 257 6990 or email mediaenquiries@ic.nhs.uk