NHS Information Authority

Data Standards and Information Programme

Reference:	Change Request 359
Version No:	1.4
Subject:	Cancer Waiting Times - changes to Active Monitoring
Type of Change:	Change to description
Effective Date:	1 September 2003
Reason for Change:	The use of Active Monitoring in Cancer Waiting Times is no longer restricted to prostate cancer. This change has been introduced to take account of new clinical advice.

Background:

DSCN 22/2002 National Cancer Waiting Times Monitoring introduced the central electronic collection of patient level information. The Cancer Action Team has recently notified a change in the field of Active Monitoring to all Cancer Networks. The restriction on the use of Decision to Treat Date (Active Monitoring) and Start Date (Active Monitoring) to prostate patients only in DSCN 22/2002 will be removed with immediate effect so that Active Monitoring may be used for any tumour site where appropriate.

A definition of Active Monitoring is given in DSCN 16/2003: For those patients for whom none of the defined treatment types apply, because either the patient refuses treatment or none is appropriate (see NO CANCER TREATMENT REASON for situations when treatment is not appropriate) and the patient is receiving symptomatic support and is being monitored it is the START DATE (ACTIVE MONITORING).

This has necessitated a change to the description of START DATE (ACTIVE MONITORING) in the NHS Data Dictionary.

Summary of changes:

Data Elements
START DATE (ACTIVE MONITORING)	Change to Description

Name:	Barbara Fogarty
Date:	10 October 2003
Sponsor:	Data and Information Standards Programme

Note: Additions shown in highlighted with a blue background. Deletions are shown using strikeout.

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START DATE (ACTIVE MONITORING)

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Change to Data Element: Change to Description

Format/length:	n8 - ccyymmdd
HES item:
National codes
Default codes

Notes: START DATE (ACTIVE MONITORING) should be recorded if the first definitive treatment is active monitoring and applies only to prostate cancer. Notes: START DATE (ACTIVE MONITORING) should be recorded if the first definitive treatment is active monitoring.

START DATE (ACTIVE MONITORING) is the CARE PLAN AGREED DATE of the CANCER CARE PLAN where the PLANNED CANCER TREATMENT is for PLANNED CANCER TREATMENT TYPE National Code 09 'Active monitoring' and FIRST DEFINITIVE TREATMENT PROVIDED is classification a. 'first definitive treatment provided'.

This data element is also known by these names:

Context	Alias
plural	START DATES (ACTIVE MONITORING)

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