This discussion document, produced by the NHS Digital and endorsed by the Academy of Royal Medical Colleges) highlights how improvements to the collection and use of hospital data by clinicians can be made to secure good quality outcomes and inform patient choice.

It stresses the need for more discussion within trusts and colleges of the importance of:

• clinician access to raw data
• recording clinical terms
• outpatient coding
• clinicians working in teams
• diagnoses present on admission
• enhanced data linkage including primary care

This Hospital activity data - a guide for clinicians from any specialty - medical, surgical or otherwise - interpret analyses of their hospital activity data. It provides a practical and straightforward way to help you understand just how the information, held in your name, is derived and used to manage and improve patient care. It was developed by the Royal College of Physicians Information Laboratory (iLab) with support from NHS Digital.

The guide was written with clinicians in mind but developed with input from information and clinical coding staff, who will also benefit from understanding clinical information needs.