Ethnic category is recorded in general practice systems. We access this information through our general practice collections.

We operate a births notification service that updates the Personal Demographics Service and informs child health and hearing screening teams. This information includes the PDS ethnic category. The information is held for 6 months to help detect and resolve duplicates. After 6 months it is deleted.

NHS Digital collects ethnic category using the values set by the Office for National Statistics as per the 2001 census. The values are documented in the NHS Data Model and Dictionary. We use this information in our statistical and management information reporting including:

• Hospital episode statistics
• Commissioning datasets
• Community Services dataset
• Diagnostic imaging dataset
• Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) dataset
• Mental health Services dataset
• National workforce dataset

NHS Digital maintains an ethnic category information asset that combines data from general practice and hospital episode statistics (HES). Combining these sources increases coverage, with the first iteration increasing this from 66% to 88%. The information asset will be used for approved purposes including dissemination to the NHS England flu national call/recall service.

Ethnic Category MI

NHS Digital has published information on ethnicity in health and care:

Ethnicity and outcomes of coronavirus (COVID-19) patients in England