The NHS Data Model and Dictionary maintenance process follows the steps listed below:

• Need Identified
• Identify Sponsor and Developer
• Analysis and Data Modelling
• Draft Change Request
• Consultation Process
• Information Standards Board for Health and Social Care (ISB)

This process is described below.

• Demonstrations

A PowerPoint presentation is also available which will take you through this process. To view this presentation, see the NHS Data Model and Dictionary Maintenance Process.

• Need Identified

The NHS Data Model and Dictionary Service are approached when changes to information standards are required. This could be the introduction of a new information standard or an amendment, deletion or retirement of an existing one.

• Identify Sponsor and Developer

The Sponsor and Developer are responsible for producing the documentation to support the Information Standards Notice (ISN), this includes: Standard Specification Implementation Plan Supporting Documents, for example, technical guidance etc.

• Analysis and Data Modelling

The proposed information standard is analysed against existing standards within the NHS Data Model and Dictionary. Stakeholders are involved during this development stage to clarify and resolve any potential issues.

• Draft Change Request

The Change Request: is a document that illustrates how the NHS Data Model and Dictionary is impacted by the proposed new standard is reviewed during the Information Standards Board for Health and Social Care appraisal process

• Consultation Process

A draft Change Request may be made available on the NHS Data Model and Dictionary Service Consultation Website, where stakeholders are invited to comment on the suggested changes. For further information on the Consultation Website, see NHS Data Model and Dictionary Service Consultation Website. Comments are shared with the Information Standards Board for Health and Social Care.

• Information Standards Board for Health and Social Care (ISB)

The Information Standards Board for Health and Social Care provide an independent mechanism for the assurance and approval of Information Standards for use in the NHS (England).  They ensure that new information standards are implementable, interoperable, fit for purpose and safe when implemented in the NHS and Social Care.

For each change, the Information Standards Board for Health and Social Care (ISB) may:

1. Reject the Change
2. Conditionally Approve the Change or
3. Approve the Change 
    

1. Reject the Change (Change Rejected)

The Information Standards Board for Health and Social Care may reject the change, i.e. the change is not fit for purpose.

2. Conditionally Approve the Change (Further Analysis)

The change could be returned to the Sponsor, Developer and NHS Data Model and Dictionary Service for further analysis and to make changes to the submission documents and Change Request.

3. Approve the Change (Publishing of Information Standards Notices and Updating the NHS Data Model and Dictionary

• Publishing of Information Standards Notices
  • Assured and approved data standards are published as Information Standards Notices (ISNs) by the Information Standards Board for Health and Social Care
  • Not all Information Standards Notices include a change to the NHS Data Model and Dictionary. Where the change affects the NHS Data Model and Dictionary, the Information Standards Notice will include a link to the Change Request.
  • Information Standards Notices can be found on the Information Standards Board for Health and Social Care website and Data Set Change Notices can be found on the NHS Connecting for Health website.
  • You can sign up to receive notification of new Information Standards Notices by subscribing to the ISB Mailing List.
  • For some Information Standards Notices there may be an Advanced Notification (AN) which provides details of the proposed change, their potential effects and proposed timeframes. An Advanced Notification is very similar to an Information Standards Notice. The main differences are they have:
    • a proposed implementation date, which may differ from the final related Information Standards Notice and
    • a watermark of ‘Advanced Notification’ to highlight that this is a proposed change
      
      
• Updating the NHS Data Model and Dictionary
  • Once the change has been approved, the information is usually incorporated into the NHS Data Model and Dictionary around the change implementation date and a new release is published
  • The What's New page shows the information standards that have been incorporated into each release of the NHS Data Model and Dictionary
  • You can sign up to receive notification of new releases of the NHS Data Model and Dictionary by subscribing to the NHS Data Model and Dictionary Service Mailing List. 

What would you like to do next?

•  NHS Data Model and Dictionary Content

Access the NHS Data Model and Dictionary Main Menu.

•   Help Pages

If you need help using the NHS Data Model and Dictionary, access the Help pages.