This compares with the realterms increase in measurable unit costs, mainly in the acute sector, of 23%over the same period.The unit cost figure shouldbe treated with caution as they do not fully reflect changes in patterns ofactivity or improvements in quality and quantity of care as a result ofchanging clinical practice. New data collection processes are being developedto improve the way in which activity and costs are recorded in the future, andsome of this is brought out in the new acute data due to be published on 26February 2004.