NHS Digital has published emergency readmissions statistics for first time in five years.

The new figures show that emergency readmissions nationally have increased by 1.3% from 12.5% in 2013/14 to 13.8% in 2017/18, based on ordinary general hospital admissions with cancer and obstetrics spells excluded. This indicator measures the percentage of admissions of people who returned to hospital as an emergency within 30 days of the last time they left hospital after a stay.

The data also shows that emergency readmissions range from 14.9% in the most deprived areas to 12.7% in the least deprived areas, showing the percentage of emergency readmissions within 30 days of discharge from hospital, including breakdowns by Clinical Commissioning Group (CCGs), deprivation quintile and gender.

The data is still classed as experimental, to provide information on emergency readmissions whilst the indicators undergo further development work.