Scottish Atlas of Healthcare Variation
Official statistics
- Published
- 06 May 2025 (Latest release)
- Type
- Statistical report
- Author
- Public Health Scotland
Data summary
February 2026 – Following the most recent Scottish Atlas of Healthcare Variation publication in May 2025, the Scottish Government undertook a survey and evaluation to gather views of healthcare professionals on the usability and impact of the Atlas and to ascertain whether the Atlas is viewed as an effective tool to help identify and tackle unwarranted variation. The evaluation highlighted lower than anticipated levels of engagement with and utilisation of the Atlas. Following consideration of the evaluation recommendations, the Chief Medical Officer has decided that further investment in the Atlas should pause. As a result, there are no plans to undertake any further updates or revisions to the Atlas at this time and PHS will focus on alternative ways of supporting work on this topic.
About this release
This release by Public Health Scotland (PHS) presents an update to the Atlas to include data for day case/inpatient paediatric dental extractions under general anaesthesia in a hospital setting for calendar years 2019 to 2023, including information by deprivation (SIMD).
Publication summary
View the publication summary for paediatric dental extractions information:
Atlas maps updated this publication – paediatric dental extractions under general anaesthesia in a hospital setting (6 May 2025):
Main points
Hospital paediatric dental extractions under general anaesthesia
- In 2023, the rate of hospital paediatric dental extractions under general anaesthesia procedures in children and young people aged 17 years and under in Scotland was 652.8 per 100,000 population. It remains the most common reason for children to have an elective hospital admission in Scotland.
- There was a 15.7-fold variation in the directly age-sex standardised rate of hospital paediatric dental extractions under general anaesthesia procedures across the NHS Boards of Residence in Scotland, ranging from 107.9 to 1,689.0 per 100,000 population.
- The highest age-sex standardised rates of hospital paediatric dental extractions under general anaesthesia were consistently observed among children and young people from the most socioeconomically deprived areas (Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation - SIMD1).
Background
The Scottish Atlas of Healthcare Variation aims to highlight geographical variation in the provision of health services and associated health outcomes. It is designed to facilitate discussion and raise questions about why differences exist with a view to improving equity in health and healthcare access and in providing better value care for local populations.
The Scottish Atlas of Healthcare Variation is an important tool to contribute to help identify unwarranted variation, realising Realistic Medicine and support reducing harm and waste within the health service (visit realisticmedicine.scot for more information).