Public Health Common Data Set


Public Health Common Data Set

A UK Department of Health (DH) collection of documents containing annual data sets of public health statistics from all regional and district health authorities (RHAs and DHAs), as well as family health services authorities (FHSAs) annual data sets of public health statistics from all RHAs, DHAs and FHSAs.
The PHCDS contains a wide range of information on the population, such as risk factors, illnesses and causes of death; the data set consists of health indicators on topics such as demography, fertility, mortality, morbidity and the decennial census. Indicators are aggregated statistical measures describing a group of patients or a population, compiled from measures or assessments made on people in the group or population.
In 1988 the DH was responsible for the NHS, NHS RHAs, DHAs and FHSAs. In 1996 DHAs and FHSAs were merged and replaced by Health Authorities (HAs). The structure of the NHS includes HAs and Primary Care Groups. In 1998, the PHCDS itself was absorbed into the Compendium of Clinical and Health Indicators, which are based on mortality data. In addition some indicators look at hospitalisation for specific causes, some screening activities and regional data on health and lifestyle. The set also includes some basic social and demographic indicators, mainly derived from the 1991 census.