Thyroid disease in Jersey (FOI)

​Request

I am writing to request information regarding thyroid disease in Jersey. 

Specifically, I would like to know:

The number of people diagnosed with thyroid disease in Jersey over the past 20 years, broken down by year.

If available, a further breakdown of thyroid disease diagnoses by type (e.g., hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, thyroid cancer, hashimoto's thyroiditis, graves disease, etc.).

The prevalence of thyroid disease (all types) in Jersey, expressed as a percentage of the population (if this data is available).

Please provide this data in a format that is comparable to UK national health statistics, such as age-standardised rates or percentages, where possible.

If some of the requested information is not available, please provide the closest alternative data or let me know what is available.

Response

Information in relation to cancer diagnosis in Jersey is analysed by Public Health England through the National Cancer Registration and Analysis Service on behalf of the Channel Islands. The latest report from Public Health England can be found:

​​Channel Islands cancer report 2007 to 2020​

Data on incidence and prevalence of thyroid cancer are detailed in the table linked below: 

Table.pdf​

​Due to the small number of thyroid cancer cases diagnosed in some years, data for the number of individuals diagnosed and age-standardised incidence rate have been calculated over 3-year periods to protect individuals from identification. Article 25 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 has been applied to protect the privacy of individuals. 

Figures are provided for the period from 2012 to 2020. The calculation of age-standardised rates is only available from 2012 onwards, and as such, data prior to 2012 is not included. Comprehensive reporting for cancer incidence is only available up to 2020, and therefore, information on thyroid cancer incidence from 2021 to 2024 is not included.

An individual has been included in the count if they have been attributed the ICD-10 diagnosis code for malignant neoplasm of the thyroid gland. 

95% confidence intervals are included to indicate the accuracy of the age-standardised incidence rates provided.

With the exception of thyroid cancer, no central record is held by the Government of Jersey for incidence or prevalence of conditions affecting the thyroid. 

Individuals with thyroid conditions diagnosed and / or managed within primary care will have their diagnoses recorded in the EMIS system. Information in EMIS is held by GPs, rather than by the Government. Whilst the Government of Jersey may be able to interrogate the EMIS system, information is not routinely collated outside of 12 conditions recorded under the Jersey Quality Improvement Framework (JQIF). Therefore, Article 3 of the Freedom of Information (Jersey) Law 2011 applies.

Articles Applied

Article 3        Meaning of “information held by a public authority”

For the purposes of this Law, information is held by a public authority if –

(a)     it is held by the authority, otherwise than on behalf of another person; or

(b)     it is held by another person on behalf of the authority.

Article 25      Personal information

(1)     Information is absolutely exempt information if it constitutes personal data of which the applicant is the data subject as defined in the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2005.

(2)     Information is absolutely exempt information if –

(a)     it constitutes personal data of which the applicant is not the data subject as defined in the Data Protection (Jersey) Law 2018; and

(b)     its supply to a member of the public would contravene any of the data protection principles, as defined in that Law.