Demography Profiles (2009)

Explore Data Further

Users can explore the data further with breakdowns available by: 

As part of the demography profiles we have published data and commentary in an interactive form; this allows for copying and pasting of graphs, tables and maps whilst retaining original formatting.

Data and commentary have been uploaded in this form for:

 Population projections (.xlsx)

 Welsh Index of Multiple Deprivation (WIMD) 2008 (.xlsx) - uploaded 22nd June 2009

 Deaths under the age of 75, persons, all causes (.xlsx) - uploaded 23rd June 2009

 General fertility rate, 1998-2007 (.xlsx) - uploaded 8th July 2009

 Population pyramids, 1991-2007 (.xlsx) - uploaded 23rd July 2009

 

Registered Population (2007)

Resident population figures represent the numbers of persons who live in a given area, whereas registered population figures give the number of patients registered with a GP practice in a given area. An individual can reside in one area while being registered in another. Individuals cannot be registered in two areas at the same time.

The National Health Service Administrative Register (NHSAR) records details of Wales residents registered with GP practices in Wales or England. According to the NHSAR, resident populations are similar to registered populations across Wales.  This means that LHBs generally provide GP services to a similar number of people as are resident within their boundary.  The largest difference is in Betsi Cadwaladr University LHB, where the registered population (705,400) is 1.5% higher than the resident population (694,900); this shows that the patient flow into the LHB from neighbouring LHBs is greater than the flow in the opposite direction.

As the table below shows, the resident population of an area according to the NHSAR is different to that estimated by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).  This is because the ONS uses births, deaths and migration data to estimate the population [1], whereas the NHSAR is based on GP registrations alone.  For example, the total number of people resident in Cardiff and Vale NHS Trust according to the NHSAR (490,100) is around 10% higher than the resident population estimated by the ONS (445,000).  More information on the reasons for these differences can be found below.

Counts of English residents registered with GP practices in Wales were obtained separately from the NHS Wales Business Services Centre (BSC). A total of around 20,200 England residents are registered with Wales GPs, which is higher than the approximately 15,100 Wales residents who are registered with GPs in England. In Betsi Cadwaladr University LHB and Powys Teaching LHB, the number of residents who are registered in England is greater than the number of England residents who are registered within their borders. However, in Aneurin Bevan LHB, only 800 LHB residents are registered in England, whereas over 10,000 residents of England are registered within the LHB

In Wales, the number of residents according to the NHSAR is around 157,600 higher than the ONS population estimate. This difference has been found historically to be concentrated in the 20-39 age group [2], indicating potential inflation in the NHSAR due to young people leaving the country and failing to de-register with their GP.  This theory is supported by the fact that differences are largest in LHBs such as Cardiff and Vale and Abertawe Bro Morgannwg which have large student populations; furthermore, the difference is smallest in Powys, where a higher proportion of the population is older and there no higher education institutions.  However, it is also possible that the 2001 Census, on which ONS population estimates are based, may not have sufficiently adjusted for undercounting [3] in areas such as Cardiff which have high levels of multi-occupancy housing, students and minority ethnic groups. 

Finally, it should be noted that the patterns shown by these data apply only to primary care.  Analysis of the utilisation of hospital services would show different flows of patients across borders, for example.

 

Registered Population by Local Health Board

Number of people in thousands (2007*)

*Data on England residents were provided by the BSC, dated July 2007, with the exception of data for Betsi Cadwaladr LHB which were dated October 2006.  The counts of English residents registered in April 2009 are similar to those shown above (Betsi Cadwaladr University LHB 6.7, Powys Teaching LHB 3.2, Aneurin Bevan LHB 10.4)
Registered population (people registered with a GP in Wales)	Wales	Betsi Cadwaladr	Powys	Hywel Dda	ABM	Cardiff & Vale	Cwm Taf	Aneurin Bevan
Wales residents (NHSAR)	3119.7	694.9	135.2	387.8	538.4	484.7	302.5	576.2
England residents (BSC*)	20.2	6.7	3.3	-	-	-	-	10.2
Total (Eng & Wales residents)	3140.0	701.6	138.5	387.8	538.4	484.7	302.5	586.4
Wales residents registered with a GP in England (NHSAR)	15.1	8.2	6.2	-	-	-	-	0.8
Resident Population (Wales)
NHSAR (registered with GP)	3137.6	705.4	135.9	386.5	532.5	490.1	304.4	582.7
ONS (mid-year estimates)	2980.0	678.5	132.0	375.2	499.4	445.0	289.4	560.5

 

References 

1 Office for National Statistics. A short guide to population estimates. London:ONS; 2004.

Available at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_population/Short_Guide_revision_Nov_04_final.pdf [Accessed 23^rd Jul 2009]

2 Wales Centre for Health / National Public Health Service for Wales. Guide on use of population data for health intelligence in Wales.  Cardiff: WCfH / NPHS; 2006. Available at: http://www.wales.nhs.uk/sites3/Documents/568/WCfH%20Pop%20Paper%20(E)_LR1.pdf [Accessed 23^rd Jul 2009]

3 Office for National Statistics. Results of 2001 Census based Local Authority Population Studies. London:ONS; 2004. Available at: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/census0704.pdf [Accessed 23^rd Jul 2009]

Information correct as at Autumn 2009. More up to date information is now available.