Background

The Diagnostic Imaging Data Set (DIDS) is a central collection of detailed information about imaging activity for the purpose of diagnosis, intervention and/or treatment carried out on NHS patients, to be extracted and submitted monthly.

The data set captures information about referral source and patient type, details of the activity imaging code which can be mapped to useful information such as type of test and body site post collection, demographic information such as GP registered practice, patient postcode, ethnicity, gender and date of birth, plus key dates for events in the imaging process to allow derivation of information about waiting times for each diagnostic imaging event, from time of test request through to time of reporting.

The data set is collected at patient level and includes patient identifiers to enable linkage to other data sets, most notably cancer registration data and Hospital Episode Statistics (HES). 

The collected data is used to create the DIDS data product. This curates the submitted data by applying additional derivations, cleaning, and data transformations in order to improve the analytic utility and opportunity from the submitted data by provisioning a product to benefit multiple user groups.

When combined with other data sets, the data collected in DIDS gives richer information about the access of NHS patients to diagnostic imaging activity across England and their outcomes.

The DIDS v2.0 Requirements Specification defines the scope of DIDS v2.0.

The changes for this version, DIDS version 2.0 (v2.0), are intended to enable the data set to meet a number of new user requirements that have emerged relating to diagnostic imaging data since the time it was introduced, particularly relating to understanding and supporting services more effectively in order to improve outcomes of care.

The changes included in this release relate to updated meta data relating to the submission file.

Improving the ability of the data set to capture detail about the referral for the patient, including the addition of:

• a new national code to capture where the source of the referral is from a screening programme
• a new data item (TREATMENT FUNCTION CODE (REFERRAL FOR DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING)) to capture the Treatment Function Code of the referring service
• a new data item (DIAGNOSTIC TEST REQUEST TIME) to capture the time the Diagnostic test request was made
• a new data item (DIAGNOSTIC TEST REQUEST RECEIVED TIME) to capture the time the Diagnostic test request was received

Update out of date data items as highlighted by the NHS Data Model and Dictionary Service, to ensure alignment with other data sets and Data Dictionary editorial principles. These include renaming of data items, updates to descriptions and definitions, value lists and codes.

Transfer the submission mechanism from the current DIDS Portal to the NDIT (including subsequent processing).

Discontinue the interim “local codes mapping” service to enforce either a National Interim Clinical Imaging Procedure Codes (NICIP) or SNOMED CT code to be submitted.

Increase the timeliness of submissions and use of data by moving to a 3-month window to submit data with no exceptions (following the first 12 months of submissions which will have a 6-month window as standard, to support the sector in the implementation of the other changes).

Capturing all activity in DIDS v2.0 (rather than only the most complex where multiple activities take place as part of the same patient event).

Publication of a Technical Output Specification (TOS) and Enhanced Technical Output Specification (ETOS) documents in line with Data Design Service best practice.

DIDS v2.0 introduces changes to the Information Standard. Changes introduced into DIDs v2.0 are explicitly stated in the Change Specification and Technical Output Specification DAPB1577 Diagnostic Imaging Data Set.