| Study Title |
A33 National Psychiatric In-Patient Reporting System (NPIRS): Hospital Census |
| Data Owner |
Health Research Board (www.hrb.ie) |
| Description |
The Hospital Census records all patients resident at midnight on 31st March of the year in question in all psychiatric in-patient facilities around the country (including psychiatric hospitals, general hospital psychiatric units, private hospitals, child and adolescent units, and the Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum) on the Register of Approved Centres under the Mental Health Act 2001. All patients on the books in hospitals and units, including those on leave, are also enumerated in the census; patients who are on the books but absent on the night of census are still enumerated, but are not recorded as resident on the night. Data collected include demographic data and clinical/diagnostic information. |
| Primary Function |
Like the NPIRS database (see A32), the Hospital Census database plays an important role in mental health policy, planning and management. It gives a snapshot of in-patient resident numbers and their characteristics on a particular night. Due to the accelerated move to community psychiatric services, it was felt that an earlier appreciation of the impact of such changes on in-patient resident numbers and characteristics was needed and thus a census was carried out on 31st March 2006 after an interval of just 5 years. Following an agreement with the Mental Health Commission, the HRB agreed to carry out a Hospital Census every 3 years (resources permitting), commencing on 31st March 2010, with the next census planned for 31st March 2013. |
| Key Variables |
ID Other; Sex; DOB; County; Occupation; Labour Force Status; Marital Status |
| Themes |
Health; Demographics |
| Unit Of Observation |
Patient resident in psychiatric hospital on the night in question |
| Frequency |
Every 3 years since 2010 (last census was on 31st March 2010; next census on 31st March 2013). |
| Target Population |
Patient resident in psychiatric hospital on the night in question |
| Format |
Individual case data |
| Method |
Data are computerised. For the first time in 2010, much of the Hospital Census data was ‘drawn down’ from existing records on the HRB’s NPIRS database. |
| Most Recent Publication |
2011. See:
- Health Research Board (2011) Irish Psychiatric Units and Hospitals Census 2010. Available at: www.hrb.ie/health-information-in-house-research/mental-health/publications/
- See also Irish Psychiatric Units and Hospitals Census 2010 Bulletin, available at same website as above. |
| Access Further Information |
Health Research Board (www.hrb.ie) |
| Notes |
All psychiatric in-patient facilities entered on the Register of Approved Centres under the Mental Health Act 2001 are included.
Response rate for triennial data collection is 100%, unless there are exceptional unforeseen circumstances.
Data are analysed and presented in the HRB’s Irish Psychiatric Units and Hospitals Census report. Data are rated per 100,000 total population, making them comparable with similar international data and international comparisons are usually made in the Census report. |