NICIP and SNOMED Codes

Users are advised to read the validations in the ETOS carefully relating to the data items CODED PROCEDURE (NICIP) and CODED PROCEDURE (SNOMED CT).

The DIDS v2.0 ETOS contains this validation:

CODED PROCEDURE (NICIP) is not a valid code as defined in DIDS Reference data.

A NICIP code is defined as a valid code in DIDS Reference data where either:

• it is an active code in the latest NHS National Interim Clinical Imaging Procedures code release on TRUD at the date of the CODED PROCEDURE END TIMESTAMP of that same record, OR
• it is an inactive code in the NHS National Interim Clinical Imaging Procedures and the code was made inactive 183 days or less before the CODED PROCEDURE END TIMESTAMP of that same record.

The DIDS v2.0 ETOS contains this validation:

CODED PROCEDURE (SNOMED CT) is not a valid code as defined in DIDS Reference data.

A SNOMED CT code is defined as a valid code in DIDS Reference data where either:

• it is an Active member of the 999001111000000105 |United Kingdom diagnostic imaging procedure simple reference set (foundation metadata concept) at the date of the CODED PROCEDURE END TIMESTAMP of that same record, OR,
• it is an Exmember of the 999001111000000105 |United Kingdom diagnostic imaging procedure simple reference set (foundation metadata concept) and the code was made an Exmember of this reference set 183 days or less before the CODED PROCEDURE END TIMESTAMP of that same record

In addition the table below shows which validation rules are triggered in which situation for the data items above. 

More details of the National Interim Clinical Imaging Procedure (NICIP) code set including how to request changes is available. 

More details of SNOMED CT including how to request changes is available. 

DIDS v1.0 contained guidance that ‘If multiple SNOMED CT or NICIP codes could be attributed to an examination the most complex should be used.’

In DIDS v2.0 this guidance does not apply and all in scope activity must be submitted in the data set to NHS England. For example, where 3 tests are recorded in the RIS for a patient, each coded with a NICIP or SNOMED CT code, then these must be submitted as 3 records in DIDS v2.0.

Where an imaging procedure has been abandoned without any images being acquired then this data must not be submitted in DIDS.

The transition from DIDS v1.0 to DIDS v2.0 is an activity ‘Cut-Over’.

This means that:

All in scope activity taking place <=2026-03-31T23:59:59+01:00 (i.e. before or equal to 11:59pm and 59 seconds) on 31 March 2026) is activity to be submitted in DIDS v1.0 and must be submitted via the legacy DIDS portal using the DIDS v1.0 schemas and methods. The date of the imaging activity is submitted via the DIAGNOSTIC TEST DATE data item.

All in scope activity taking place >=2026-04-01T00:00:00+01:00 (on and after midnight of 1 April 2026) is DIDS v2.0 activity and must be submitted via NDIT using the DIDS v2.0 CSV / XML schema found on TRUD (or relevant API if available). The date and time (and timezone) of the imaging activity completing is the value submitted in the CODED PROCEDURE END TIMESTAMP data item in DIDS v2.0.