Table 1

Characteristics of end-of-life populations, place of death and hospital use

North Somerset (n=1022) (%)*Somerset (n=2572) (%)*
Delivering choiceYesNoYesNo
N2138096161956
Age at death (mean SD)79.4 (10.7)81.2 (12.8)77.3 (12.5)82.4 (11.4)
Gender male109 (51)361 (45)301 (49)864 (44)
Deprivation (index of multiple deprivation)
 Least deprived67 (31)242 (30)94 (15)259 (13)
 Below average deprivation63 (30)229 (28)213 (35)631 (32)
 Average deprivation33 (15)119 (15)178 (29)629 (32)
 Above average deprivation10 (5)65 (8)100 (16)345 (18)
 Most deprived37 (17)139 (17)29 (5)80 (4)
 Not available3 (1)15 (2)2 (0)12 (1)
Charlson score†
 Number of individuals168 (79)506 (63)513 (83)1321 (68)
 Weighted score4.63.05.32.9
Cause of death
 Cancer145 (68)142 (18)440 (71)314 (16)
 Heart disease15 (7)170 (21)44 (7)430 (22)
 Cerebrovascular9 (4)78 (10)19 (3)218 (11)
 Respiratory14 (7)142 (18)32 (5)308 (16)
 Dementia12 (6)145 (18)30 (5)316 (16)
 Other18 (8)132 (16)51 (8)370 (19)
Place of death
 Acute hospital40 (19)347 (43)84 (14)836 (43)
 Home‡88 (41)225 (28)337 (54)779 (40)
 Care home (not usual place of residence)34 (16)116 (14)58 (9)173 (9)
 Hospice34 (16)30 (4)98 (16)55 (3)
 Community hospitalN/AN/A31 (5)31 (5)
 Elsewhere17 (8)91 (11)8 (1)12 (1)
Hospital utilisation
 Patients with one or more emergency admissions <30 days (SD)61 (29)335 (41)233 (38)875 (45)
 Mean emergency admissions per patient <30 days (SD) [median, min, max]0.31 (0.52)
[0,0,2]
0.47 (0.60)
[0,0,3]
0.53 (0.69)
[0,0,3]
0.45 (0.64)
[0,0,7]
 Patients with one or more emergency admission <7 days (SD)13 (6)179 (22)60 (10)467 (24)
 Mean emergency admissions per patient <7 days (SD) [median, min, max]0.07 (0.27)
[0,0,2]
0.23 (0.43)
[0,0,2]
0.11 (0.33)
[0,0,2]
0.25 (0.46)
[0,0,2]
 Patients with one or more ED attendance <30 days (SD)54 (25)363 (36)159 (26)712 (36)
 Mean ED attendance per patient <30 days (SD) [median, min, max]0.27 (0.50)
[0,0,4]
0.52 (0.64)
[0,0,2]
0.39 (0.51)
[0,0,3]
0.41 (0.60)
[0,0,5]
 Patients with one or more ED attendance <7 days13 (6)213 (26)43 (7)432 (22)
 Mean ED attendance per patient <7 days (SD) [median, min, max]0.07 (0.29)
[0,0,2]
0.27 (0.47)
[0,0,2]
0.07 (0.27)
[0,0,2]
0.26 (0.43)
[0,0,3]
  • *Figure in parentheses refers to percentage unless otherwise indicated.

  • †Charlson score was calculated for those patients who had a hospital admission.

  • ‡Home includes a care home where this was recorded as usual place of residence.

  • ED, emergency department; N/A, not applicable.