OBJECTIVES: To describe temporal changes in patient characteristics and outcomes for radical cystectomy (RC) in England between 1995 and 2002, using routinely collected administrative data. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data were extracted from the Hospital Episode Statistics database of the Department of Health in England, describing all patients recorded as having undergone RC between 1995/1996 and 2001/2002; 8228 patients were included. RESULTS: Of the patients who had undergone RC, two-thirds were > or = 65 years old and 75.6% were men. From 1995/1996 to 2001/2002 the annual number of RCs increased from 1013 to 1254, the proportion of patients admitted as an emergency decreased from 6.5% to 4.9%, the mean length of hospital stay decreased from 20.7 days to 18.7 days, and in-hospital mortality rates fell from 5.3% to 3.6%. The length of hospital stay and in-hospital mortality rates were higher in older patients, in female patients, and in those admitted as an emergency. CONCLUSIONS: There was no sign of centralization of RCs over the study period, as the 25% increase in annual hospital volume was accompanied by a similar increase in the annual number of RCs. Length of hospital stay and in-hospital mortality rates have decreased.