MESSAGES INTRODUCTION

Messages are the physical implementation of data collection, be it the message content of the database.

CDS and HES
Guidance on completion of Commissioning Data Sets (CDS) not yet consolidated within CDS.

Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) for information purposes (HES is now extracted automatically from the NHS-wide Clearing Service database).

Data Sets
The primary purpose of national data sets is to enable the same health information to be generated across the country independent of the organisation or system that captures it.

XML Messages
The NHS Data Dictionary will be enhanced to enable XML schemas to be published in a format that will allow them to be exported to an appropriate XML tool for message development.