• information requirements of national and local performance management, planning and clinical governance
• assurance of the quality of health and social care services
• the monitoring of National Service Frameworks (NSFs)

The information in the Central Return Data Sets is transmitted at aggregate level.

Some of these Central Return Data Sets are transmitted to Unify2.
Unify2 is the data collection system used by the Knowledge and Intelligence team in the Department of Health to collect a wide range of performance information.

The Unify2 homepage can be found at the following address: http://nww.unify2.dh.nhs.uk/unify/interface/homepage.aspx.

Note: access to this address requires a Unify2 account and password. Any queries about the site can be addressed to the Unify2 helpdesk by:

• emailing Unify2@dh.gsi.gov.uk or
• calling your SHA User Manager from the "Contact Us" page at http://nww.unify2.dh.nhs.uk/Unify/interface/contactus.aspx.