Data quality
Data Quality Assurance
ECDS inclusion complete
As part of our ongoing plans to extend both the scope and content of the Data Quality Maturity Index (DQMI) we developed a new DQMI for the Emergency Care Dataset (ECDS). This work has now completed and ECDS Type 011 dataset takes over officially from A&E type 010.
Details of the rules and filters for the 34 ECDS data items can be found in the ECDS Data item - Rules & Filters DQMI document.
The team has also developed a new ECDS DQ Dashboard to provide more frequent, granular feedback on the ECDS to support local improvement of data at source. The dashboard contains 40 data items (including the 34 within the DQMI) and is published alongside the other existing SUS Data Quality Dashboard reports. Find out more information, including how to register for access.
Expansion to IAPT DQMI
As part of continued work to expand the depth of reporting of the DQMI across datasets work has been undertaken with the IAPT Analysis and Collection teams to expand the DQMI by a further 14 data items.
Update - June 2021: Some of these items have been discovered to need further work and so will remain published as an experimental score alongside the existing DQMI score until we resolve the issues. After this they will presented as experimental for a further 3 months and then be added to the original 7 data items and published as the formal DQMI score. No timescales are yet available for this work. Further data items are also being considered for future inclusion and further details will be released once a decision has been reached.
| IAPT DQMI |
7 IAPT items contribute to overall DQMI Score |
21 IAPT items contribute to overall |
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| Data Items |
ETHNIC CATEGORY GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTICE CODE (PATIENT REGISTRATION) NHS NUMBER ORGANISATION CODE (CODE OF COMMISSIONER) PERSON GENDER CODE CURRENT POSTCODE OF USUAL ADDRESS SOURCE OF REFERRAL FOR MENTAL HEALTH |
ETHNIC CATEGORY GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTICE CODE (PATIENT REGISTRATION) NHS NUMBER ORGANISATION CODE (CODE OF COMMISSIONER) PERSON GENDER CODE CURRENT POSTCODE OF USUAL ADDRESS SOURCE OF REFERRAL FOR MENTAL HEALTH ADULT MENTAL HEALTH CARE CLUSTER CODE (FINAL) APPOINTMENT TYPE (IMPROVING ACCESS TO PSYCHOLOGICAL THERAPIES) CODED ASSESSMENT TOOL TYPE (SNOMED CT) CODED PROCEDURE AND PROCEDURE STATUS (SNOMED CT) DISABILITY CODE DISCHARGE FROM IMPROVING ACCESS TO PSYCHOLOGICAL THERAPIES SERVICE REASON EMPLOYMENT STATUS IMPROVING ACCESS TO PSYCHOLOGICAL THERAPIES ACTIVITY SUSPENSION REASON ORGANISATION IDENTIFIER (RECEIVING) PERSON SCORE PRESENTING COMPLAINT (CODED CLINICAL ENTRY) PSYCHOTROPIC MEDICATION USAGE INDICATION CODE SOCIAL AND PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCE (SNOMED CT) STATUTORY SICK PAY RECEIPT INDICATOR |
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Other future work
We have also looked to expand the reported items within the DIDS dataset to add a further 6 data items. We have worked with the Secondary Care Analysis team to identify these. Similar to IAPT above the additional data items will first appear as an experimental score alongside the existing DQMI score until May-21 when it will become the formal DQMI score (see below figure for timescale illustration). Further Items are also being worked on for inclusion.
| Reporting month |
Oct-2020 |
Nov-2020 |
Dec-2020 |
Jan-2021 |
Feb-2021 |
Mar-2021 |
| Publication month |
Feb-2021 |
Mar-2021 |
Apr-2021 |
May-2021 |
Jun-2021 |
Jul-2021 |
| DID DQMI |
7 DID items contribute to overall DQMI Score |
13 DID items contribute to overall DQMI Score |
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| Data Items |
ETHNIC CATEGORY GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTICE CODE (PATIENT REGISTRATION) NHS NUMBER NHS NUMBER STATUS INDICATOR CODE PERSON BIRTH DATE PERSON GENDER CODE CURRENT POSTCODE OF USUAL ADDRESS |
ETHNIC CATEGORY GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTICE CODE (PATIENT REGISTRATION) NHS NUMBER NHS NUMBER STATUS INDICATOR CODE PERSON BIRTH DATE PERSON GENDER CODE CURRENT POSTCODE OF USUAL ADDRESS REFERRER CODE PATIENT SOURCE SETTING REFERRING ORG CODE DIAGNOSTIC TEST DATE REQUEST DIAGNOSTIC TEST REQ REC DATE SERVICE REPORT ISSUE DATE |
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Current Data Quality Maturity Index (DQMI)
The DQMI is a monthly publication about data quality in the NHS, which provides data submitters with timely and transparent information.
Links to all of the DQMI publications, the associated methodology documents and the interactive report can be found below:
Provider Data Quality Assurance Framework
The Provider Data Quality Assurance Framework is aimed at provider organisations who, in terms of data quality assurance, need to get started and those that are looking to build on their existing data quality assurance processes and practices.
The framework covers five main themes:
- oversight
- process
- people
- systems
- measures
Within each section describes its objective, the benefits associate with it and current best practice.
Several sections include a case study and links to supporting resources and the intention is to extend over time through a collaboration site that will be launched in February 2020.
Each part of the framework also includes an Assurance Checklist to assist provider organisations assess where they are in terms of data quality assurance and what gaps there might be that the framework can help fill. The framework will continue to be developed and additional resources made available through this web page.
The documents can be accessed here:
- Provider Data Quality Assurance Framework – Part 1
- Provider Data Quality Assurance Framework – Part 2
The framework has been developed to meet the requirements of Assertion 1.7 of the Data Security & Protection tool and support the published technical guidance.
Providers are encouraged to complete either part 1 or part 2 of the online data quality assurance self-assessment surveys.
Self-assessment Data Quality Assurance checklist - Part 1
Self-Assessment Data Quality Assurance Checklist - Part 2
Both surveys (part 1 and part 2) correspond to part 1 and part 2 respectively of the Provider Data Quality Assurance Framework.
Responses to the survey will assist NHS Digital to understand national data quality assurance practice and associated support requirements.
MHSDS Validity and Integrity Measures SQL
The two pieces of code below are used by NHS Digital’s MHSDS team to generate the raw data provided to the DQ team that we then process to produce the DQMI scores and associated reports.
The code is run against the MHSDS data after the data has been submitted and processed through the DPS Portal. It will, therefore, require modification locally to be run against the pre-submission data.
Whilst we cannot assist in this modification, we would be willing to work with a small number of Mental Health Services providers to understand the technical steps required to use the code locally and to then share this learning alongside the code.
Current comorbidity diagnostic persistence
Diagnostic codes for conditions that do not remit should not be lost from patient records over time - this "diagnostic persistence" is a measure of data quality.
The below factsheet highlights the proportion of patient episodes that include, or omit, a code for one of five clinical diagnoses where there is reason to expect that a code should continue to be recorded.
We reviewed diagnostic codes for all episodes of hospital care over a three month period, and then looked back to compare whether a relevant code was previously recorded.
February 2018
DQMI Comorbidity Outputs 17-18 Q2 Jul to Sep v1.0 Final [859kb](Opens in a new window)
February Diagnostic Persistence Infographic_FINAL v0.1 [518kb](Opens in a new window)
Note: The analysis is to show diagnostic coding for conditions that do not remit should not be lost from patient records over time - this "diagnostic persistence" is a measure of data quality, it is not to show poor diagnosis or treatment of conditions.
Historic comorbidity diagnostic persistence
November 2017
DQMI Comorbidity Outputs Q1 Apr to Jun 17-18 v1.0 Final [209kb](Opens in a new window)
November Diagnostic Persistence Infographic_FINAL [519kb](Opens in a new window)
August 2017
Comorbidities analysis raw data [166kb](Opens in a new window)
Comorbidities analysis Infographic [517kb](Opens in a new window)
Historic DQMI publications
December 2019
November 2019
October 2019
September 2019
August 2019
July 2019
DQMI-19 (April 2019) (Updated 20 February 2020 to include MSDS data)
DQMI-19 CSV (Updated 20 February 2020 to include MSDS data)
June 2019
Updated 26 July 2019 to include DID data
DQMI-18 (March 2019) (Updated 21 August 2019 with changes made to the default in excess calculation)
DQMI-18 CSV (Updated 21 August 2019 with changes made to the default in excess calculation)
May 2019
April 2019
DQMI-16 (January 2019) (Updated 20 February 2020 to include MSDS Data)
DQMI-16 CSV (Updated 20 February 2020 to include MSDS Data)
February 2019
DQMI-12 (2018-19 Q2) - covers data for the period of July – September 2018
DQMI Power BI User Guide February 2019
November 2018
DQMI Power BI User Guide November 2018
August 2018
DQMI Power BI User Guide August 2018
May 2018
DQMI Power BI User Guide May 2018
February 2018
DQMI_8_CSV [2Mb](Opens in a new window)
DQMI Power BI User Guide February 2018
November 2017
There are missing records for a number of providers (predominantly independent sector) in the CDS (APC, A&E, OP) data. This was caused by a change introduced by SUS+ in August which resulted in these missing records.
DQMI-7_(2017-18_Q1) [689kb](Opens in a new window)
DQMI-7 Methodology [1Mb](Opens in a new window)
DQMI 7 CSV [1Mb](Opens in a new window)
DQMI Power BI User Guide November 2017
Note: The Analysis is to show diagnostic coding for conditions that do not remit should not be lost from patient records over time - this "diagnostic persistence" is a measure of data quality, it is not to show poor diagnosis or treatment of conditions.
August 2017
DQMI-6 (2016-17 Q4) [730kb](Opens in a new window) covers data for the period of January - March 2017.
DQMI-6 Methodology [977kb](Opens in a new window)
DQMI-6 CSV (Opens in a new window)
DQMI Power BI User Guide August 2017
May 2017
DQMI-5 (2016-17 Q3) [723kb](Opens in a new window) covers data for the period of October - December 2016.
DQMI-5 Methodology [1018kb](Opens in a new window)
DQMI-5 CSV file [1Mb](Opens in a new window) CSV reissued on 24 May 2017 due to duplicates in the original file.
Power BI Report user guide May 2017
February 2017
DQMI-4 (2016-17 Q2) [643kb](Opens in a new window) covers data for the period of July - September 2016
DQMI-4 (2016-17 Q2) [643kb](Opens in a new window)
DQMI-4 Methodology [1Mb](Opens in a new window)
DQMI-4 CSV [1Mb](Opens in a new window)
Power BI Report User Guide February 2017
November 2016
DQMI-3 (2016-17 Q1) [683kb](Opens in a new window) covers data for the period of April - June 2016
DQMI-3 Methodology [1Mb](Opens in a new window)
DQMI-3 CSV [1Mb](Opens in a new window)
Power BI Report User Guide November 2016
August 2016
DQMI-2 (2015-16 Q4) covers data for the period of January - March 2016
DQ_maturity_index_introduction_and_methodology__15_8_16
May 2016
DQMI-1 (2015 Annual) covers data for the period of January - December 2015
The Health and Social Care Act 2012 (section 266) states that our statutory data quality role is to assess the extent to which the data we collect meets defined national standards and to publish the results of the assessments. In addition, we may give advice or guidance on data quality relating to the collection, analysis, publication or other dissemination of data and information.
Our Data Quality Assurance Strategy 2018-2020 sets out how we will fulfil these responsibilities.
The Health and Social Care Act 2012 (section 266) states that our statutory data quality role is to assess the extent to which the data we collect meets defined national standards and to publish the results of the assessments. In addition, we may give advice or guidance on data quality relating to the collection, analysis, publication or other dissemination of data and information.
Our Data Quality Assurance Strategy 2018-2020 sets out how we will fulfil these responsibilities.
DQA steering group
Data Quality Assurance (DQA) activity is governed by the DQA Steering Group who meet every two months to provide overall strategic direction for DQA.
The group is made up of internal members, as well as external representatives from the Care Quality Commission, Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and NHS Improvement. We are working to ensure that the provider community are also represented at the DQA Steering Group.
The group's Terms of Reference are available for reference, and any queries about the group should be directed to: DQAteam@nhs.net.
DQA user forum
The DQA user forum meets quarterly with representatives from a number of clinical commissioning groups (CCGs), commissioning support units (CSUs), NHS England and the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
The forum is in its early stages but has already seen some very positive actions come out of the first meeting to proactively support the improvement of data quality.
DQA provider forum
A DQA provider forum meets quarterly with representatives from 20 provider organisations from around the country.
The forum is supported by a national provider E-forum enabling further engagement from over 100 active members.
Further information
Interactive DQMI report
Last edited: 28 July 2021 1:58 pm