This data set is out of date therefore the information should not be used.
For further information, see the NHS England website at: Monthly Diagnostic Waiting Times and Activity.

The Diagnostic waiting times reporting of the monthly waiting times and activity reporting (DM01).

The Diagnostics Waiting Times and Activity Data Set provides definitions to support the national data collections on diagnostic tests, a key element towards monitoring waits from referral to treatment. Organisations responsible for the diagnostic test activity report the diagnostic test waiting times and the number of tests completed.

The distinctions between the data set groups are not absolute and some procedures could be collected under more than one of the clinical groupings. A PATIENT waiting for a diagnostic investigation should be counted only once for each test they are waiting for, wherever the test is to be performed and even if there is any additional therapeutic intervention. Each test should be identified by their OPCS Classification of Interventions and Procedures coding where applicable.

The diagnostic investigations are grouped into categories of Imaging, Physiological Measurement and Endoscopy. The data set is for the monthly return covering 15 key diagnostic tests as below:

IMAGING

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Computer Tomography
• Non-obstetric ultrasound
• Barium Enema
• DEXA Scan (Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry)

PHYSIOLOGICAL MEASUREMENT

• Audiology - audiological assessments
• Cardiology - echocardiography
• Cardiology - electrophysiology
• Neurophysiology - peripheral neurophysiology
• Respiratory physiology - sleep studies
• Urodynamics - pressures & flows

ENDOSCOPY

• Colonoscopy
• Flexible sigmoidoscopy
• Cystoscopy
• Gastroscopy

Aggregated numbers of PATIENTS waiting for a diagnostic test/procedure funded by the NHS should be included. This includes all referral routes (i.e. whether the PATIENT was referred by a GENERAL PRACTITIONER or by a hospital-based clinician or other route) and also all settings (i.e. Out-Patient Clinic, WARD, Imaging Department or a type of LOCATION such as a Health Centre). It is recognised that there will be some overlap between PATIENTS reported in this data set and PATIENTS reported in the other waiting times data sets.

How the data set is transmitted

Information is submitted onto the Unify2 database. Full guidance on Unify2 can be found at: Unify2.

Further guidance

For further guidance on extracting the data sets and PATIENT PATHWAYS, see the NHS England website at: Diagnostics Waiting Times and Activity.