Social care data in England: what they tell us and what they do not tell us.

A large volume of statistics is published nationally on adult social care in England. The data are used locally to manage and improve delivery of care. Social care data have the potential to give invaluable information on the prevalence of dementia and other chronic conditions, and on end-of-life care. However, examination of these statistics reveals that there are problems with their accuracy and detail which limit their usefulness for describing geographical differences and differences over time. Comparison is made with the national statistics available on health service activity. Linkage of health and social care data would provide a great deal of useful information. It is suggested that the key to improving quality and detail of national social service data is to make greater use of them.