Hospital average length of stay by diagnostic categories in United Kingdom
United Kingdom: Hospital average length of stay by diagnostic categories was 7.2 Days in 2024. ▼ Falling
Hospital average length of stay by diagnostic categories in United Kingdom, 2000–2024
Source: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Measured in Days.
Analysis
United Kingdom recorded 7.2 Days for hospital average length of stay by diagnostic categories in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.7% on the previous year and up 4.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, hospital average length of stay by diagnostic categories in United Kingdom peaked at 9.5 Days in 2000 and was at its lowest, 6.8 Days, in 2019.
That places United Kingdom 14th out of 32 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 25 years of available data.
Hospital average length of stay by diagnostic categories in United Kingdom, year by year
| Year | Days | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 9.5 Days | — |
| 2001 | 9.4 Days | -1.1% |
| 2002 | 9.3 Days | -1.1% |
| 2003 | 8.8 Days | -5.4% |
| 2004 | 8.7 Days | -1.1% |
| 2005 | 8.5 Days | -2.3% |
| 2006 | 8.2 Days | -3.5% |
| 2007 | 7.7 Days | -6.1% |
| 2008 | 7.7 Days | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 7.5 Days | -2.6% |
| 2010 | 7.4 Days | -1.3% |
| 2011 | 7.1 Days | -4.1% |
| 2012 | 7 Days | -1.4% |
| 2013 | 7 Days | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 6.9 Days | -1.4% |
| 2015 | 7.5 Days | +8.7% |
| 2016 | 7.4 Days | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 7.2 Days | -2.7% |
| 2018 | 6.9 Days | -4.2% |
| 2019 | 6.8 Days | -1.4% |
| 2020 | 6.9 Days | +1.5% |
| 2021 | 7.1 Days | +2.9% |
| 2022 | 7.9 Days | +11.3% |
| 2023 | 7.4 Days | -6.3% |
| 2024 | 7.2 Days | -2.7% |
United Kingdom compared with similar countries
- United Kingdom's 7.2 Days is above the median for high income countries, which is 6.7 Days, 1.1× the median. (30 countries reporting)
- United Kingdom's 7.2 Days is below the median for Europe & Central Asia, which is 7.25 Days, 99% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 8.53 Days | 7.5 Days | 9.5 Days | 10 |
| 2010s | 7.12 Days | 6.8 Days | 7.5 Days | 10 |
| 2020s | 7.3 Days | 6.9 Days | 7.9 Days | 5 |
Countries ranked near United Kingdom
More health data for United Kingdom
- Un projection of annual infant deaths, annual growth rate -1.71 % change on previous year (2100)
- Heat deaths vs projected death rates, annual growth rate 0.0265 % change on previous year (2090)
- Un projection of annual infant deaths 461 (2100)
- Neonatal tetanus - number of reported cases, gaps filled 0 (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, annual growth rate -0.7128 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, female, per capita 0.0247 units per person (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, annual growth rate -0.7724 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population ages 00-04, male, per capita 0.0261 units per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is hospital average length of stay by diagnostic categories in United Kingdom?
- Hospital average length of stay by diagnostic categories in United Kingdom was 7.2 Days in 2024, according to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.
- What is the highest hospital average length of stay by diagnostic categories recorded in United Kingdom?
- The highest recorded value was 9.5 Days in 2000.
- What is the lowest hospital average length of stay by diagnostic categories recorded in United Kingdom?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.8 Days in 2019.
- How does United Kingdom rank for hospital average length of stay by diagnostic categories?
- United Kingdom ranks 14th out of 32 countries with data for 2024.
- Is hospital average length of stay by diagnostic categories rising or falling in United Kingdom?
- Over the last ten years it is up 4.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this United Kingdom data come from?
- The figures come from Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, published as part of Hospital average length of stay by diagnostic categories. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Average length of stay (ALOS) is calculated by dividing the number of bed-days by the number of discharges during the year. The list of diagnostic categories is based on the International Shortlist for Hospital Morbidity Tabulation (ISHMT). Click here to see the complete shortlist with ICD-10 and ICD-9 codes. Please refer to the Sources and Methods for detailed country-specific information.