TREATMENT FUNCTION CODE

TREATMENT FUNCTION CODE  is a unique identifier for a TREATMENT FUNCTION.

TREATMENT FUNCTION CODE is recorded to report the specialised service within which the PATIENT is treated.

It is based on MAIN SPECIALTY but also includes approved sub-specialties and treatment specialties used by lead CARE PROFESSIONALS including CONSULTANTS.

TREATMENT FUNCTION, rather than the Royal College or Faculty specialty, is required on most activity returns and in the Commissioning Data Sets.

TREATMENT FUNCTION CODES should be used for all data sets/collections unless otherwise stated e.g. National Workforce Data Set  uses MAIN SPECIALTY CODES.

GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTITIONER, NURSE and Allied Health Professional/ Biomedical Scientist/ Clinical Scientist ACTIVITY should be recorded against the TREATMENT FUNCTION under which the PATIENT is treated.

Joint Consultant Clinic ACTIVITY should be recorded against the TREATMENT FUNCTION which best describes the specialised service.

Assigning a Treatment Function Code:

• Assigning a TREATMENT FUNCTION CODE  for a SERVICE is a decision which must be made locally. For national reporting purposes, only the TREATMENT FUNCTION CODES  listed in the table below must be used.

• Recording of activity according to TREATMENT FUNCTION CODES is not on the basis of the procedure carried out, but should be allocated according to whether a specialised SERVICE exists within the Health Care Provider for that TREATMENT FUNCTION CODE, such as a CLINIC OR FACILITY.

• TREATMENT FUNCTION CODES

  have not been mapped to procedures or MAIN SPECIALTY.

• TREATMENT FUNCTION CODE

  should be assigned irrespective of the type of CARE PROFESSIONAL  responsible. This is also applicable where the name of the TREATMENT FUNCTION CODE suggests it is limited for use by a particular Healthcare Profession.

• A change in TREATMENT FUNCTION CODE, but no change in responsible CARE PROFESSIONAL, does not initiate a new episode of care. For the Commissioning Data Sets, the ACTIVITY TREATMENT FUNCTION CODE  reported should be that which is recorded at the CDS ACTIVITY DATE.

For further information, contact NHS Digital  by email at: enquiries@nhsdigital.nhs.uk  with the subject "Main Specialty and Treatment Function Codes".

Further information on the groupings and scope of each  TREATMENT FUNCTION CODE  is provided at:  Main Specialty and Treatment Function Codes Table.

Note:

• New National Codes for TREATMENT FUNCTION CODE  were introduced from 2 April 2020 as part of the update to the DCB0028: Treatment Function and Main Specialty Standard.

  • Page 8 of the "Change Specification" provides a list of the new TREATMENT FUNCTION CODES.

  • Note that new codes should not be reported nationally until the functionality to do so becomes available in the next release of the affected data sets and any associated XML Schemas.

  • Prior to these updates, health and care ORGANISATIONS must review the impact of this information standard and make appropriate changes to local health IT systems from 2 April 2020 and before 1 April 2021.

  • Where new National Codes are recorded locally, these will need to be mapped to an appropriate existing code for transmission and reporting purposes.