DH - Read Code for Choice and Booking DES – 23 Aug 07

The Choice and Booking Directed Enhanced Service (DES) has been rolled over into 2007/08. Although the GP Patient Survey arrangements for measuring the Choice component have yet to be finalised, it is likely that we will be using data based on an extract of Choice Read codes.

• DH Site - http://tinyurl.com/2zmkl3
• Copy of Guidance

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Gateway Reference - 8619 13th August 2007

Dear Colleague
Read Code for Choice and Booking
As you will be aware, the Choice and Booking Directed Enhanced Service (DES) has been rolled over into 2007/08. Although the GP Patient Survey arrangements for measuring the Choice component have yet to be finalised, it is likely that we will be using data based on an extract of Choice Read codes.

As you may be aware, in the October 2006 release of Read codes we included the following new codes:

• 9kK.. Choice and Booking - enhanced services administration (4 byte and version 2)
• XaMJa Choice and Booking - enhanced services administration (version 3)
• 222711000000102 Choice and Booking - enhanced services (SNOMED)

These codes are to be used to record patients who have been referred by a GP for a first consultant outpatient appointment, to a service where choice is offered. A selection of these patients may then be invited to participate in the next GP Patient Survey for your practice.

In signing up for the DES practices sign up to co-operating with the delivery and administration of this Survey. Practices who therefore expect to participate in the choice element of the DES will need to start using these codes by 1 September 2007, if they are not already doing so. GP practices will need to adopt the practice of marking individual records with the appropriate Read code (above) whenever a GP refers a patient for a first consultant outpatient appointment which is subject to Choice.

This does not include referrals:
•    where speed of access to diagnosis and treatment are particularly important:

-    emergency attendances/admissions
-    patients attending a Rapid Access Chest Pain Clinic under the 2 week maximum waiting time
-    patients attending cancer services under the 2 week maximum waiting time

•    maternity services
•    mental health
•    there is local PCT agreement that choice is not appropriate

If you do not use these codes, we will be unable to identify patients who were subject to a choice referral and unfortunately this will mean PCTs will not have data to assess your practice’s eligibility to receive the Choice payment. Should it not be possible to identify these patients in any practice that is using the Read codes due to unresolved technical difficulties, for example an incompatibility between the data download system and your practice’s clinical system, we are looking at alternative facilities to ensure data are available.

If you have any further queries about the use of these Read codes, please contact choice@dh.gsi.gov.uk

Further information on plans for the 2008 GP Patient survey will be issued shortly.

Thank you for your help

Yours sincerely
Mark Smith
GP Patient Survey Lead
Primary Medical Care
Commissioning and System Management Directorate

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