What is Lambeth DataNet?
For those of you who have not heard of Lambeth DataNet, DataNet is a resource that uses anonymised patient data from GP practices to enable us to assess needs, plan and provide better health care to everyone in the area. It s a joint venture between South East London Integrated Care Board (SEL ICB), Lambeth’s Local authority, and Kings College London (KCL) which aims to support the health system in Lambeth by promoting research and intelligence to improve health and provide more equitable care within our community, through a locally driven, standardised, high quality data set.
Some prominent research using DataNet has featured in articles by the BBC (May 2023) and the London Evening Standard (March 2023). Detail around other recent key research outputs from DataNet can be found here Lambeth DataNet – Lambeth Together
The latest findings using DataNet
A team working at King’s College London and with Dr Di Aitken, Lambeth Together, have analysed consultation data from Lambeth DataNet, particularly focussing on 32 Long Term Conditions (LTCs). The analysis showed that Chronic Pain was the 2nd most common LTC in the adult population of Lambeth at 18.6% (Anxiety was commonest at 21.4%) and had the highest primary care consultation rate at 15.3 consultations/yr per patient with Chronic Pain (the 2nd most frequently attending patients were those with Anxiety, at 11.6 consultations/yr per patient).
The team looked at consultation rates and costed the various categories of consultations using a health economic analysis (GP, Nurse, Other Health Care Professional (HCP); face-to-face, telephone, home visit). The top 5 LTCs in terms of consultation costs were:
- Chronic Pain @ £373/patient/year;
- Hypertension @ £356/patient/year;
- Depression @ £323/patient/year;
- Anxiety @ £289/patient/year;
- Asthma @ £254/patient/year
This summary of consultation costs shows that Chronic Pain stands out as the single most costly LTC when compared with other common LTCs. Which means that Chronic Pain is a highly demanding condition to manage in primary care, with patients consulting frequently and consuming a high proportion of primary care resources.
This analysis is shortly going to be submitted to the British Journal of General Practice where we anticipate that it will be published.
Other studies
Why do children under 5 years go to the GP in Lambeth: a cross-sectional study | BMJ Open
This is a first study using Lambeth DataNet data to look at reasons for consultation in general practice for the under 5 population. This was a cross-sectional study with 39 of 40 practices looking at data between April 2017 and March 2020. Nine conditions formed over 50% of all patient interactions: the most common reason was upper respiratory tract infections (14%), followed by eczema (8%) and cough (7%). Children living in the most deprived area are more likely to be frequent attenders than children living in the least deprived area (adjusted OR (AOR) 1.27 (95% CI 1.14 to 1.41)). Children of Indian (AOR 1.47 (1.04 to 2.08)), Bangladeshi (AOR 2.70 (1.95 to 3.74)) and other white (AOR 1.18 (1.04 to 1.34)) ethnicities were more likely to be frequent attenders, compared with those of white British ethnicity.
Developing DataNet for the future
Following a successful application from the DataNet team to the South East London Data Usage Committee (DUC) work has commenced to move the technical architecture behind DataNet to a more stable environment and open opportunities for further integration with a wider suite of data. Enabling this work to commence will also ensure greater alignment with the wider South East London data strategy.
Want to know more?
If you’re interested in Lambeth DataNet research findings, would like to propose a research question, or would like more information on how Lambeth DataNet has been used in commissioning or policy, please email us at PublicHealth@lambeth.gov.uk