Publication, Part of Estates Returns Information Collection

Estates Returns Information Collection, Summary page and dataset for ERIC 2022/23

Official statistics, Other reports and statistics

Publication Date:: 14 Dec 2023
Geographic Coverage:: England
Geographical Granularity:: Primary Care Organisations, Care Trusts, Clinical Commissioning Groups, Community health services, Hospital Trusts, NHS Trusts, Regions, Councils with Adult Social Services Responsibilities (CASSRs), GP practices, Hospital and Community Health Services, Independent Sector Health Care Providers, Primary Care Trusts, Mental Health Trusts, Clinical Commissioning Regions, Ambulance Trusts, Country

DQ Report: User centred data quality measures

Trade-Offs between Output Quality Components

This return forms the central collection of Estates and Facilities data from all NHS organisations in England providing NHS funded secondary care during the fiscal year ending 31st March. ERIC data provides the Government with essential information relating to the safety, quality, running costs and activity related to the NHS estate and also supports work to improve efficiency. It is therefore critical that the data provided is of the highest quality in terms of its accuracy as well as being consistent with other trusts.

ERIC is is a mandatory collection with which trusts are required to comply under the terms of Section 259 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012. In addition, the NHS Standard Contract also requires trusts to comply with this collection in the manner and timescale set out in the launch email issued to trusts.

Assessment of User Needs and Perceptions

The Estates Return Information Collection (ERIC) contains information relating to the costs of providing, maintaining, and servicing the NHS estate, used in the delivery of secondary care and ambulance services. It provides essential information relating to the safety, quality, running costs and activity related to NHS estates and supports work to improve efficiency. NHS England works closely with our principal stakeholders to ensure that data meet the needs of Government and the NHS. This includes reviewing definitions and guidance on an annual basis and an extensive data validation programme during the collection period, as well as workshops and webinars throughout the year on a variety of ERIC reporting improvement initiatives.

The principal known users of ERIC data are:

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) and Arm’s Length Bodies (ALBs) – DHSC is accountable to the public and Parliament for the NHS, including its funding, and therefore its Estates & Facilities function. It therefore requires data to ensure this, including the ability to determine the level of efficient use of such funding. As Estates & Facilities is the third largest cost for the NHS, data collected on Estates & Facilities has a high profile. In addition to funding, data are also required by DHSC and its ALBs to make decisions on areas of policy e.g., Investment planning and income generation.
NHS Regulators - The NHS Constitution now includes the following: “You have the right to be cared for in a clean, safe, secure and suitable environment.” The NHS Regulators therefore will include the environment, the estate, and its facilities services, in their review process. The ERIC data is a key element in the review and making decisions on inspections.
Other Government Departments (OGDs) - While DHSC has primary responsibility for the NHS, some OGDs have indirect interest. For instance, budgets for NHS expenditure are approved by HM Treasury (HMT) and evidence is required to support business cases for that expenditure. ERIC provides such evidence in relation to Estates & Facilities.
Trusts use the data collected through ERIC to benchmark themselves against other trusts to determine their relative levels of efficiency, safety, and quality. In addition, ERIC data are used for local investment planning, contract negotiation and service management.

Performance Cost and Respondent Burden

The collection has been reviewed by the NHS England Burden Assessment team and approved by the Data Alliance Partnership Board (DAPB) (DAPB2083). The collection exploits on-line technology to reduce the burden on organisations in completing and returning these data.