All MIDWIFE EPISODES and NURSING EPISODES are identified in the Admitted Patient care CDS and HES by a pseudo consultant specialty code of 560 for midwives and 950 for nurses, see Specialty Function Codes. The default codes 199 and 499 are only applicable for overseas health care providers.

This data element is also known by these names:

Context	Alias
plural	CONSULTANT SPECIALTY FUNCTION CODES

LOCAL PATIENT IDENTIFIER

Format/length:	an10
HES item:	LOPATID
National Codes:
Default Codes:

Notes:
This is a number used to identify a PATIENT uniquely within a HEALTH CARE PROVIDER. It may be different from the PATIENT's casenote number and may be assigned automatically by the computer system. This is PERSON IDENTIFIER TYPES classification 'Local Patient Identifier ('PAS' Number)' for a PERSON IDENTIFIER.

Where care for NHS patients is sub-commissioned in the independent sector or overseas, the NHS commissioner local patient identifier should be used. If no NHS local patient identifier has been assigned the independent sector or overseas provider identifier should be used.

This data element is also known by these names:

Context	Alias
plural	LOCAL PATIENT IDENTIFIERS

ORGANISATION CODE (CODE OF PROVIDER)

Format/length:	an5
HES item:	PROCODE
National Codes:
Default Codes:
	89997 - UK provider where no organisation code has been issued
	89999 - Non-NHS UK provider where no organisation code has been issued

Notes:
This is the ORGANISATION CODE of the ORGANISATION acting as a HEALTH CARE PROVIDER. The code may be derived automatically by NHS IT systems.

Where NHS patient care is sub-commissioned to independent or overseas providers, the NHS SERVICE AGREEMENT should specify that the non-NHS provider has requested an identifying organisation code from the Organisation Codes Service.

See NHS Administrative Codes for a description of ORGANISATION CODES.

This data element is also known by these names:

Context	Alias
plural	ORGANISATION CODES (CODE OF PROVIDER)

PROCEDURE CODING

Format/length:	annn for OPCS-4, an7 for Clinical Terms (The Read Codes)
HES item:	OPERATN
National Codes:
Default Codes:	X998 - Out-patient procedure carried out but no appropriate OPCS-4 code available
	X999 - No out-patient procedure carried out

Notes:

This is a CLINICAL CLASSIFICATION CODE.

See Clinical Coding for Classification of Surgical Operations and Procedures (OPCS - 4) and Read Coded Clinical Terms.

See the 'Classification of Surgical Operations and Procedures (OPCS-4)' and 'Read Coded Clinical Terms' sections within the Clinical Coding page.

Record any operative procedures carried out, such as an endoscopy or electro-convulsive therapy (ECT), as part of the current consultant episode.

Clinical Terms (The Read Codes) (an7) may be used as an optional addition to OPCS-4.

The recording of procedures using OPCS-4 is now optional for the Out-Patient/Ward Attenders CDS. If required, a default procedure code may be used in the first procedure field and subsequent procedure fields space-filled.

The default codes are classified as entries in the Classification of Surgical Operations and Procedures Fourth Revision Consolidated Version (OPCS-4).

Where providers locally use OPCS-4 codes with a fifth character added, this should be removed before inclusion in the Commissioning Data Set.

This data element is also known by these names:

Context	Alias
plural	PROCEDURE CODINGS

REFERRER CODE

Format/length:	an8
HES item:	REFERRER
National Codes:
Default Codes:	R9999981 - Referrer other than GMP, GDP or Consultant
Default Codes:	C9999998 - Consultant Code not known
	R9999981 - Referrer other than GMP, GDP or Consultant
	X9999998 - Not applicable: or not known

Notes:
This requires the code of the PERSON making the referral. This will normally be a HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL - a GMP or a consultant.

The intention is for this item to reflect the actual (true) referrer. For example, following a GMP referral, a consultant may subsequently refer the PATIENT to another consultant within the HOSPITAL PROVIDER SPELL. The code of the consultant making the referral and the consultant’s organisation should be recorded in the CDS rather than the code of the GMP referrer. The code of the consultant making the referral and the consultant's organisation should be recorded in the CDS rather than the code of the GMP referrer. This also applies where a CONSULTANT refers an NHS patient to another doctor for NHS-commissioned treatment at another NHS Trust, a non-NHS provider, or an overseas provider. Where the Consultant Code is unknown, the default value C9999998 should be used.

In all other cases, the code of the referring GMP should be recorded, if applicable.

See CONSULTANT CODE and GMP (CODE OF REGISTERED OR REFERRING GMP) for the codes available for consultants and General Medical and Dental Practitioners, MoD and Prison Doctors. See also NHS Administrative Codes.

If the Referrer code is not known or not applicable e.g. the patient has self-presented, the default code (X9999998) should be used. If the Referrer code is not known or not applicable e.g., the patient has self-presented, the default code (X9999998) should be used.

This data element is also known by these names:

Context	Alias
plural	REFERRER CODES

SITE CODE (OF TREATMENT)

Format/length:	an5
HES item:	SITETRET
National Codes:
Default Codes:
Default Codes:	89999 - Not applicable: non-NHS UK provider
	89997 - Not applicable: non-UK provider

Notes:
SITE CODE (OF TREATMENT) is the ORGANISATION SITE CODE of ORGANISATION SITE of the provider ORGANISATION.

This identifies the site within the ORGANISATION on which the PATIENT was treated, since facilities may vary on different hospital sites. The code recorded should always be the national code; if the treatment is sub-commissioned to another provider, the site code used should be that of the provider actually carrying out the work.

Each ORGANISATION has a unique ORGANISATION CODE, see NHS Administrative Codes for a description and format of ORGANISATION CODES. However, where an ORGANISATION has more than one site from which it provides services then each site is uniquely identifed. These sites are ORGANISATION SITES and are uniquely identified by ORGANISATION SITE CODE. The ORGANISATION SITE CODE contains the first 3 digits of the ORGANISATION CODE with the last two digits being the site identifier.

Example:

RA700	ORGANISATION CODE of the ORGANISATION
RA701	ORGANISATION SITE CODE of the first identified ORGANISATION SITE within the ORGANISATION
RA702	ORGANISATION SITE CODE of the second identified ORGANISATION SITE within the ORGANISATION

Where treatment for a NHS patient is sub-commissioned to a non-NHS provider and no ORGANISATION SITE CODE has been registered and issued by the Organisation Codes Service, the SITE CODE (OF TREATMENT) should contain the default value of 89999. Where treatment for an NHS patient is sub-commissioned to an independent UK provider the default code of 89999 should be used. Similarly where treatment is sub-commissioned to an overseas provider the default code 89997 is applicable.

For out-patients, activity may take place outside the hospital, such as in the PATIENT’S home; in such cases, raising a site code is impractical. For out-patients, activity may take place outside the hospital, such as in the PATIENT'S home; in such cases, raising a site code is impractical. LOCATION CLASS is used in the CDS message to indicate the classification of the physical location within which the activity occurred.

This data element is also known by these names:

Context	Alias
plural	SITE CODE (OF TREATMENT)

SPECIALTY FUNCTION CODE

Format/length:	n3
HES item:	MAINSPEF
National Codes:
Default Codes:
Default Codes:	199 - Non-UK provider; specialty function not known, treatment mainly surgical
	499 - Non-UK provider; specialty function not known, treatment mainly medical

Notes:
SPECIALTY FUNCTION, based on SPECIALTY, classifies clinical work divisions more precisely for a limited number of specialties. See Speciality Function Codes for the full list of codes.

All MIDWIFE EPISODES and NURSING EPISODES are identified in the Admitted Patient care CDS and HES by a pseudo main consultant specialty code of 560 for midwives and 950 for nurses, see Specialty Function Codes.

The default codes 199 and 499 are only applicable for overseas providers.

This data element is also known by these names:

Context	Alias
plural	SPECIALTY FUNCTION CODES

DEFAULT CODES SUMMARY TABLE

Default Codes Summary Table

DEFAULT CODES SUMMARY

Default (or pseudo) codes may be used:

• to indicate an organisation type, such as an MoD doctor or a Prison Practice;
• to indicate that the code value is not known;
• to indicate that a code cannot be supplied (e.g. no referring doctor or dentist).