Reference Costs 24-25
Date published:
2024/25 costs are the third produced through the new regional system and therefore costs may not be fully mature. As such would urge caution in their use. If you have any queries, please contact costing@hscni.net
Explanatory Notes and Caveats
Encompass is the new electronic patient record in Northern Ireland, which was implemented in HSC Trusts over the Period November 2023 – May 2025 and continues to be optimised. Production of robust cost data is heavily reliant on patient level activity which is now provided through Encompass. Whilst Encompass data is not fully validated; cost data should be used with caution. This impacts 2024/25 Cost data.
Due to concerns around the robustness of Encompass data, Belfast Trust were unable to provide a 2024/25 cost submission. Figures included in the Total Cost Information for Belfast has been generated from 2023/24 Cost data, and uplifted by 6.92%, which was the total increase in the Trusts’ cost quantum from the prior year. These figures are indicative only and at a service level may under or overrepresent the movement in costs between 2023/24 and 2024/25. Consequently, Belfast Trust have been excluded from the calculation of the NI Average Unit Cost, which impacts year-on-year comparability. In addition, this means that unit costs are not available for some services that are only carried out by Belfast Trust in Northern Ireland.
Northern Trust were unable to fully validate Encompass Data in time for cost submissions in 2024/25, therefore Northern Trust’s Cost Submission for 2024/25 is based on seven months data (Pre Encompass). Figures have been extrapolated to provide a full year view.
South Eastern’s Cost Submission in 2024/25 was based on 7 months data, due to significant delays in clinical coding. Figures have been extrapolated to provide a full year view