Reference metadata describe statistical concepts and methodologies used for the collection and generation of data. They provide information on data quality and, since they are strongly content-oriented, assist users in interpreting the data. Reference metadata, unlike structural metadata, can be decoupled from the data.
Directorate Analysis and Monitoring - Department Financing and Budget
1.3. Contact name
Confidential because of GDPR
1.4. Contact person function
Confidential because of GDPR
1.5. Contact mail address
Federal Public Service Social Security
Directorate Analysis and Monitoring - Department Financing and Budget
Kruidtuinlaan 50 box 100
1000 BRUSSELS
Belgium
1.6. Contact email address
Confidential because of GDPR
1.7. Contact phone number
Confidential because of GDPR
1.8. Contact fax number
Confidential because of GDPR
2.1. Metadata last certified
31 March 2024
2.2. Metadata last posted
31 March 2024
2.3. Metadata last update
5 May 2025
3.1. Data description
Statistics on healthcare non-expenditure provide information on healthcare human resources, healthcare facilities, and healthcare utilisation.
People active in the healthcare sector (doctors, dentists, nurses, etc.) and their status (graduates, practising, migration of doctors and nurses, etc.);
Available healthcare technical resources and facilities (hospital beds, beds in residential care facilities, medical technology, etc.);
Health activities or patient contacts undertaken (hospital discharges, surgical procedures, ambulatory care data, etc.).
Annual national and regional data are provided in absolute numbers or as a rate of a relevant population.
Data are based mainly on administrative records (see section 18.1 ‘Source data’ for more information).
3.2. Classification system
For the collection of data on healthcare non- expenditure, the classifications used in the System of Health Accounts (SHA) and its related set of International Classification for the Health Accounts are applied.
For Health Employment, the Directive 2005/36/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 7 September 2005 on the recognition of professional qualifications apply.
Definitions of mandatory variables are laid down in Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/2294.
Where possible, the statistics are separated by sex (male/female), age group and NUTS2 region.
National deviations: see Annex at the bottom of the page.
3.3. Coverage - sector
Public health.
3.4. Statistical concepts and definitions
The healthcare non-expenditure statistics describe the public health sector from a non-monetary perspective. The statistics explain the number or rate of different healthcare resources, facilities and utilisations. A wide range of indicators are collected from a multitude of sources and therefore, details pertaining to individual variables are given in the Annex.
Definitions of mandatory variables are laid down in Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/2294.
National changes of statistical concepts and national definitions deviating from Regulation (EU) 2022/2294: see Annex at the bottom of the page.
3.5. Statistical unit
Registered health professionals or health care facility categories.
3.6. Statistical population
National population, following variables can represent:
All health care staff.
All available beds or equipment in hospitals or in nursing and residential care facilities.
All discharges or procedures performed in all hospitals.
3.7. Reference area
Complete national territory.
3.8. Coverage - Time
Reference Year 2023.
Data correspond to calender year or stock (situation at) 31/12 year following the variable.
Data availability will differ by variable:
Hospital beds regional : 1993-2023.
Hospital staff: 1993-2023 (by nuts2 2011-2023).
hospital tech resources : 2005-2023.
non resident discharges: 2012-2023.
health activities - hospital aggregates: 2000-2023.
exams: 1999-2023.
procedures 2005-2022
health employment - physicians 1960-2023
physicians by age 1999-2023
physicians by category 2000-2023
midwives and nurses: 2004-2022
caring personnel 2007-2022
dentists, pharmacists, physiologists 1985-2023
hospital employment 2002-2023
graduates 1994-2023
physical resources: hospitals 1990-2023
hospital beds 1988-2023
ICU beds 2020-2022
nursing beds 1995-2023
medical technology 2003-2023
workforce migration 2000-2023
see also 'sources and methods' in annex.
3.9. Base period
Data cover the calendar year or data provided by end of year.
Annual national and regional data are provided in absolute numbers, days or as a rate of a relevant population; see annexed sources and methods for more detailed information on units.
Calendar year or stocks at 31/12 (see sources and methods in annex).
6.1. Institutional Mandate - legal acts and other agreements
Joint Questionnaire on Non-Monetary Health Care Statistics, which is carried by Eurostat, OECD and WHO-Europe.
7.1. Confidentiality - policy
No confidential information is covered in the variables covered.
7.2. Confidentiality - data treatment
No confidential information is covered in the variables covered.
8.1. Release calendar
There is no national release calendar or publication calendar. The data transmitted to Eurostat are released by Eurostat and OECD following their release calendars.
All institutions involved and administering part of the health sector covered by the data are competent for their own dissemination policies and calendars and may publish (the parts under their compentence) data following their own calendar, which is unknown at global level.
There is no national release calendar for the data, data are released following the Eurostat release calendar: Release calendar - Eurostat (europa.eu) publicly available on the Eurostat’s website.
8.3. Release policy - user access
In line with the Community legal framework and the European Statistics Code of Practice Eurostat disseminates European statistics on Eurostat's website (see item 10 - 'Accessibility and clarity') respecting professional independence and in an objective, professional and transparent manner in which all users are treated equitably. The detailed arrangements are governed by the Eurostat protocol on impartial access to Eurostat data for users.
There is no national data release. All institutions involved and administering part of the health sector covered by the data are competent for their own dissemination policies.
There is no national news release. The data transmitted to Eurostat are released by Eurostat and OECD following their own dissemination methods.
All institutions involved and administering part of the health sector covered by the data are competent for their own dissemination policies and methods and may publish (the parts under their compentence) data following their news release, which is unknown at global level.
There is no national online database. The data transmitted to Eurostat are released by Eurostat and OECD in their own databases.
All institutions involved and administering part of the health sector covered by the data are competent for their own dissemination policies and may publish (the parts under their compentence) data following their own calendar, which is unknown at global level.
Each institution involved is responsible for its regular data management of administrative databases.
The Single Integrated Metadata Structure (SIMS), which is the standard for quality reporting, is published in the Eurostat Database for every variable pertaining to the Joint, non-Monetary Health Care questionnaire, as from reference year 2021.
11.1. Quality assurance
Data are issue from administrative data.
11.2. Quality management - assessment
Regular data control for administrative use.
12.1. Relevance - User Needs
Data provided are available for all users: governement, researchers, EU institutions, OECD, WHO, etc..
12.2. Relevance - User Satisfaction
There are no available national data on user satisfaction. Eurostat carries out an annual User satisfaction survey on a central level, see the latest results.
12.3. Completeness
Derogation for Belgium for cancer screening data.
'Practising' nurses and midwives not available. 'licensed to practice' provided instead.
All other mandatory variables are provided according to the Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/2294.
13.1. Accuracy - overall
Definitions followed, exceptions : see annex on methodology.
13.2. Sampling error
Not applicable.
13.3. Non-sampling error
Not applicable.
14.1. Timeliness
Data 2023 provided 14 months after the end of the reference year.
14.2. Punctuality
Data delivered following regulatory obligations.
15.1. Comparability - geographical
No issues - national coverage.
15.2. Comparability - over time
Breaks of series indicated; see annex for more detailed information.
15.3. Coherence - cross domain
No coherence issues.
15.4. Coherence - internal
Some deviations of definitions - see 'sources and methods' annex.
Data are gathered by competent authorities, based on records and data surveys by providers and health insurers.
Final treatments 1 FTE - 55.000 EUR.
17.1. Data revision - policy
Data are revised each year and transmitted (as far as necessary) together with transmission of new data.
17.2. Data revision - practice
See 17.1
18.1. Source data
Source data for the different variables are listed in the Annex .
18.2. Frequency of data collection
Annual.
18.3. Data collection
Data are collected annually in correspondence to the regulation and are based on administrative data.
18.4. Data validation
Validation process embedded in validation checks in eDAMIS and validation questionnaires by Eurostat.
18.5. Data compilation
See metadata.
Data used are administrative data.
FTE is calculated by dividing hours worked by standard working time defined by sectoral collective labour agreement:
Nursing personnel : 38 H/week.
Physicians in hospitals: Law of December 12, 2010 defining the labour time for doctors, dentists, vetinairians, specialists in training, candidate dentists in training and student internships for these professions: average 48H/week over a period of 4 months.
Statistics on healthcare non-expenditure provide information on healthcare human resources, healthcare facilities, and healthcare utilisation.
People active in the healthcare sector (doctors, dentists, nurses, etc.) and their status (graduates, practising, migration of doctors and nurses, etc.);
Available healthcare technical resources and facilities (hospital beds, beds in residential care facilities, medical technology, etc.);
Health activities or patient contacts undertaken (hospital discharges, surgical procedures, ambulatory care data, etc.).
Annual national and regional data are provided in absolute numbers or as a rate of a relevant population.
Data are based mainly on administrative records (see section 18.1 ‘Source data’ for more information).
5 May 2025
The healthcare non-expenditure statistics describe the public health sector from a non-monetary perspective. The statistics explain the number or rate of different healthcare resources, facilities and utilisations. A wide range of indicators are collected from a multitude of sources and therefore, details pertaining to individual variables are given in the Annex.
Definitions of mandatory variables are laid down in Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/2294.
National changes of statistical concepts and national definitions deviating from Regulation (EU) 2022/2294: see Annex at the bottom of the page.
Registered health professionals or health care facility categories.
National population, following variables can represent:
All health care staff.
All available beds or equipment in hospitals or in nursing and residential care facilities.
All discharges or procedures performed in all hospitals.
Complete national territory.
Calendar year or stocks at 31/12 (see sources and methods in annex).
Definitions followed, exceptions : see annex on methodology.
Annual national and regional data are provided in absolute numbers, days or as a rate of a relevant population; see annexed sources and methods for more detailed information on units.
See metadata.
Data used are administrative data.
FTE is calculated by dividing hours worked by standard working time defined by sectoral collective labour agreement:
Nursing personnel : 38 H/week.
Physicians in hospitals: Law of December 12, 2010 defining the labour time for doctors, dentists, vetinairians, specialists in training, candidate dentists in training and student internships for these professions: average 48H/week over a period of 4 months.
Source data for the different variables are listed in the Annex .
There is no national data release. All institutions involved and administering part of the health sector covered by the data are competent for their own dissemination policies.
