Funnel plots display trust risk-adjusted outcomes for 90-day mortality, 30-day unplanned readmission, 2-year mortality and, for rectal cancer patients, 18-month stoma rate. The funnel regions represent the 95 per cent limit and the 99.8 per cent limit for trusts compared to the national average. Those trusts with results outside the outer (99.8 per cent) limit are considered potential outliers.

Risk adjustment is performed using the seven items listed under Data Quality as well as mode of admission (elective/emergency) and number of co-morbidities according to HES, and an interaction between age and distant metastases. Missing values are imputed using Multiple Imputation. The model for two-year mortality additionally includes interactions between follow-up time (0-3 months after surgery vs. 3-24 months after surgery) and all of the risk factors.

A stoma is considered to be reversed if a HES record with relevant code is identified with 18 months of the initial surgical procedure.