Data search and export

Data Search and Export Tool Demo Video – Part 1 (Intro and General Search)

Hello and welcome to this demo of the new data search and export tool developed by the Organisation Data Service for NHS England. I'm going to demonstrate the key features of the tool which has been built as a replacement for the ODS Portal and ODS DataPoint. It provides a single user interface for retrieving health and social care organisation data.

ODS Portal and DataPoint functionality have been replicated within this new tool, but in addition there are many new features and additional data that we hope will improve user experience.

The tool is fed from our new Organisation Data Terminology FHIR API and so users can expect consistent results no matter which tool they're using.

Those building technical solutions requiring regular data updates from ODS may wish to use our API instead. Further information can be accessed via the ODS website.

We're starting on the landing page for ODS Data Search and Export. As the name suggests, DSE allows a user to search for organisation, site and some healthcare practitioner data, but also to export that as Excel or CSV files. Data is updated each night at approximately 2am, there is a help and guidance section which includes frequently asked questions and also a comprehensive reference data catalogue that we will explore later.

Firstly, we'll look at 'General' search.

This is the default search from the landing page and you can select whether to search for organisation or practitioner. We will search organisation data first.

Search using a code. Let's use the ODS code: AAQ.

Select the magnifying glass symbol to start the search.

The system will search for AAQ in any part of the ODS code, the organisation name or its address. We can see 10 records returned for this search. The exact match to code AAQ returned first, but then any other codes names or addresses that contain AAQ are also displayed.

You can also search using a name. Let's use the name 'Sunny'.

You can see this returns records with ‘sunny’ either in the organisation name or in the address details.

You can resize the columns, to view the details returned, and you can sort records on any column by clicking on the arrow next to the column name.

You can apply a filter to any column by clicking on the three dots and selecting the filter option. Multiple filters can be applied.

There are a default set of columns for the results returned which include the code, organisation name, organisation type, code start and end dates and address details.

If you hover over the blue question marks next to some of the column headers that provides a description of the data in that column.

You can also choose to add or remove columns in the results window by clicking columns on the blue bar, and using the toggles to select and deselect columns. For this search we could just add in the primary role ID as well as the primary role name.

Drilling down into individual records

Each row of the search has a plus on the far left. Clicking this plus will expand the record to display, on the left hand side, NHS hierarchy data which currently is the integrated care board and the NHS England region groupings.

It'll also show the non-primary roles applied to that code, if any. The open and close dates for that code, the address and post code and the organisation responsible for operating that site if applicable and held by ODS.

And on the right hand side, details of any organisation or site code that sit below that code in the NHS hierarchy, for example, social care sites of a social care provider.

Click the down arrow to expand and view the site details.

You can see by the blue text where ODS codes are stated that these are hyperlinks so you can view the record for that code should you wish.

If I click on the social care provider code that opens a pop up containing summary details for that code.

The top blue bar of the pop up shows you the trail of records you have accessed.

You've moved from code A3NR to VLLK3 in this case.

Further codes would be added to this breadcrumb trail if you clicked on Y61 for example.

These codes are hyperlinked so you can easily navigate back to the previous record should you wish.

From the pop up there is a copy icon in the top right which if clicked copies the URL for the current record. You could paste this into a new browser or share with others so they can directly access the same organisation record at a later point if required.

If you close the pop up and return to the original search, you can see the same copy icon here too.

Data Search and Export Tool Demo Video – Part 2

Advanced search, save/import search, practitioner data, geographic search, reports and reference data catalogue

Advanced Search

An advanced search in essence allows you to pre apply filters before returning the results. You can enter criteria into one or more of the search parameters at the top of the screen and then click the magnifying glass to submit the query.

Let's say we want to see all GP Practice codes in Exeter.

GP Practice is actually a non primary role in ODS as they are a subset of prescribing cost centre codes, so we'll go to the non primary role parameter where you can either scroll down the list and select, or you can start to type if you know what you need.

You can specify multiple non primary roles in this field if needed and then in the town parameter we can simply type ‘Exeter’ and submit the search.

You can then sort and filter from the results screen as we did in the general search demo, or you can apply further filters in the parameters and resubmit the search.

You can add or remove columns of data.

And you can expand each row to view more information for a particular record.

And you can copy or save and export your advanced search.

Saving a search

If you want to rerun the same search at a later date or share it with a colleague, you can use the save search icon on the right hand side above the blue search results header row. If you click save search, you are presented with two options:

1. Save search to clipboard.
2. Or export search file.

Selecting export search file automatically creates a JSON file in your downloads folder.

Importing a saved search

If I open a new window, we can see how this saved search can be imported at another time by another user. So, from the DSE landing page there is an import search button under the intro text.

Click this button and then navigate to where you saved the search file. Mine is still in my downloads.

Select the relevant JSON file and click open. This automatically recreates the saved search in DSE applying those search criteria to the current data set available within the tool.

Note that you can also import a save search from the results screen too.

Practitioner data

Practitioner data within the ODS DSE is limited to that which we previously published as CSV files, so that's General practitioner, nurse prescriber, private controlled drug prescribers, hospital consultants and dental consultants.

Further information regarding practitioner data is included in our Reference Data Catalogue under Help and Guidance.

In summary, DSE replicates ODS Portal functionality in that it allows users to search for General Practitioner data, but with the additional functionality that this can now be exported.

You cannot currently search for nurse prescriber or consultant data, but this information is available in a predefined report. We'll look at predefined reports shortly.

If we have a look at an advanced search for practitioners. There are two parameters, one for practitioner (or GP) name and one for their practitioner code. As an example, we'll use the name Smith.

The display returns GPs with the name ‘Smith’ and we can view their role, such as Principle GP or Other GP, and their prescriber code and their GMC code if known.

The same save, sort and filter functions apply.

If we choose to expand a given practitioner record, we can view the details of the GP Practice that practitioner is linked to when we click on related organisations.

Note again that the practice name and ODS code is blue, as clicking this will open a pop up with the practice details. And we can simply click the cross to close the pop up.

Geographic search

The geographic search allows a user to enter a full or partial post code. You can then select a post code to view details of various health and social care boundaries that that post code falls within. For example, the local authority boundary and the integrated care boundary.

This search will not return a list of organisations with a specified post code. It is a boundary search.

Reports

The reports menu offers users a list of predefined searches which will recreate the content of CSV files published previously on the ODS data downloads web page.

If you click the down arrow, you will see the list of available reports and these are named as per the CSV files for example, ECT which is the NHS care trusts.

Select the report and then click the blue magnifying glass to run it.

The columns returned will match the former CSV file.

If there are more than 100 records in the report, then you will need to increase the rows per page, or filter through.

You can sort and filter the report, but you can't add extra columns to a predefined report. You would have to create your own advanced search to do this. The report specifications can be found in the Reference Data Catalogue section of the Help and Guidance.

For example, if we open the Reference Data Catalogue, we can navigate to the NHS Care Trusts in the menu and then the legacy CSV file mapping section.

This documents how that predefined report has been constructed, giving you data descriptions and any notes about how the predefined report may vary slightly from the legacy CSV file.

The Reference Data Catalogue opens in a new tab so we can easily navigate back to the report.

As we looked at previously, reports can also be downloaded or exported as CSV or Excel files via the export button and you can choose whether to include or exclude headers from your downloaded report.

Reference Data Catalogue

Finally, we'll take a closer look at the reference data catalogue content.

We are keen to improve the look and feel of the catalogue, but for now we wanted to share our data model, data definitions, business rules and maintenance processes with users in a single, central resource.

Although currently accessed by the ODS DSE tool, the Reference Data Catalogue is generic and applies to all ODS data, regardless of how it has been accessed. It gives users information about:

• The scope of ODS data - What types of organisation we provide codes for?
• Also confirms geographical scope of ODS data - The coverage of each of the organisation types.

And it looks at the ODS data model - What are the individual data items within an organisation record and what types of relationship do we store? How are organisation and entities linked together?

It also contains further information about roles. You can understand more about the primary and non-primary roles that describe the organisation records.

We also provide information about how we maintain and manage the data and any definitions of business rules or validation that might be applied to data prior to publication.

We hope you found this demonstration useful. We're always keen to hear feedback from users regarding our data and products so that we can continually improve our service.

Please contact ODS via [email protected] with any questions or comments.

Thank you.