Diagnostic Imaging Data Set (DIDS)

The Diagnostic Imaging Dataset (DIDS) is a central, patient level, collection of detailed information about diagnostic imaging activity carried out on NHS patients, using local radiology information systems (RIS). Submission of data can occur on any specific day throughout the year.

DIDS is intended to deliver robust, comprehensive, nationally consistent and comparable person-based information on activity to support a variety of secondary use purposes. 

DIDS is used for the purpose of healthcare analysis for the NHS, government and others including: 

• national bodies and regulators, such as the Department of Health and Social Care
• integrated care systems (ICSs)
• provider organisations
• government departments
• researchers and commercial healthcare bodies
• National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE)
• patients, service users and carers
• the media

Data is used to publish monthly official statistics but also to answer parliamentary questions, freedom of information (FOI) requests and media queries.

Data collected may be used to support wider projects and programmes relying on analysis and insights provided direct from DIDS data, or in using DIDS data linked to other data assets where there is a legal basis to do so.

The Health and Social Care Act 2012 (the Act) gives NHS England statutory powers, under section 259(1)(a), to require data from health or social care bodies, or organisations that provide publicly funded health or adult social care in England, where it has been directed to establish an information system by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. 

The data, as specified by NHS England in this published data provision notice, is required to support a direction from the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care to NHS England. Therefore, organisations that are in scope of the notice are legally required, under section 259(5) of the Act, to provide the data in the form and manner specified below.

The DPN for DIDS v1.0 covers imaging activity from 1 April 2012 up to and including 31 March 2026. 

The DPN for DIDS v2.0 covers imaging activity carried out from 1 April 2026 onwards.

The DIDS data product is created from monthly submissions of data on diagnostic imaging activity carried out on NHS patients, using local RIS. Data submitted to the DIDS collection covers 4 areas, providing information about the:

• patient (such as NHS number, date of birth, gender, ethnicity)
• referrer (referrer code, referring organisation code)
• imaging provider/organisation site code
• imaging examination (imaging codes, key dates in the imaging process)

The DIDS data product includes information about imaging activity conducted on NHS patients in England including NHS trusts, NHS foundation trusts and independent sector providers who provide NHS funded diagnostic imaging activity.

Activity not captured/managed on the provider’s RIS such as for breast screening or cardiac ultrasound activity is not included in the collection. The images that are produced from the tests or post-mortem imaging are not included.

Under section 259(1)(a) of the Health and Social Care Act 2012, this Notice is served in accordance with the procedure published as part of the NHS England duty under section 259(8) on:

• NHS acute trusts
• NHS care trusts
• NHS foundation trusts
• NHS mental health trusts
• independent sector or social enterprise providers offering a service model that includes NHS funded patients
• community-based providers of NHS funded imaging services

Under section 259(5) of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 the organisation types specified above must comply with the Form, Manner and Period requirements below.

NHS England has been directed by the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care under section 254 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012 to establish and operate a system for the collection and analysis of the information specified for this service. 

The direction and accompanying requirements specification are published on the NHS England website: Diagnostic imaging data set Directions 2016

This information is required by NHS England under section 259(1)(a) of the Health and Social Care Act 2012.

In line with section 259(5) of the Act, all organisations in scope, in England, must comply with the requirement and provide information to NHS England in the form, manner and period specified in this Data Provision Notice. 

This Notice is issued in accordance with the procedure published as part of an NHS England duty under section 259(8).

It is possible to submit DIDs data on a daily basis though it is processed monthly to create a curated national data product.  

DIDS v1.0: A timetable of the dates used for inclusion within a monthly asset is available.

DIDS v2.0: A timetable of the dates used for inclusion within a monthly asset is available.

23 March 2026: Publication of the DPN for DIDS v2.0 to support implementation of the relevant data set changes.