Terminology Advice and Support
Terminology Services offers advice and support in ICD10, OPCS4, Read and SNOMED-CT.
Helpdesk
We operate a dedicated expertly manned helpdesk to answer queries and offer advice on ICD10, OPCS-4, Read, national codes for the representation of clinical imaging procedures and SNOMED-CT. You can also book courses or obtain general advice on Terminology through this service.
Helpdesk phone (Tues - Thurs 9-5pm): 0131 275 7283
Helpdesk e-mail (Tues - Thurs 9-5pm): NSS.terminologyhelp@nhs.net
If your enquiry is urgent please contact the Helpdesk directly on 0131 275 7283 during this time. Please note: enquiries related to Parliamentary Questions should NOT be requested via email and should always be requested directly to an advisor via the telephone helpdesk or to the contacts below if outside normal Helpdesk hours.
If your enquiry is urgent outwith these hours please contact Janice Watson 0141 282 2271 or Elaine Strange 0131 275 6822
Information for customers
- ICD/OPCS NHS Scotland coders
- NHS Scotland Information Analysts
- Additions/enhancements to OPCS
- Read, SNOMED-CT request for new code
- Clinical Imaging Procedure Code Requests
- Training
Details required when contacting the helpdesk:
- Your name
- Hospital/organisation
- Contact telephone/email
- Type of query - ICD, OPCS
- Applicable scheme - e.g. SMR01, SMR02, SMR00 etc.
- Details of the query: - The discharge summary/notes/letter you are coding from should be available. For procedures, have the operation notes and the diagnosis as well.
Queries are not usually answered straight away as they are crosschecked with previous queries and databases. This takes time so it is often easier to call you back. If it is expected that the query is going to take more than 24 hours to answer, as it has to be passed on to another tutor/clinician, you will be informed as to when to expect an answer.
Please be aware, answers to coding queries are for that particular query and cannot automatically be transferred to other instances, e.g. type of scope used, type of injection, virus etc. as the situation may be different. Please also note that queries from coding sites must relate to actual examples and not to 'what if' scenarios.
If you contact the helpdesk via the email address please provide the information detailed above (no confidential or patient identifiable details should be included). The email inbox is checked daily (Tuesday-Thursday) but if your enquiry is urgent please phone the helpdesk directly.
0131 275 7283, Tue-Thurs 9-5pm, or email.
If your enquiry is urgent during this time please contact the team directly 0131 275 7283. Outwith these times please contact Janice Watson, Terminology Services Manager 0141 282 2271.
NHS Scotland Information Analysts
If you are an analyst with an information request, please provide the original customer question to help with the query. Also, please let us know if it is a press enquiry or a parliamentary question and when the data is required.
The email inbox is checked on active helpdesk days (Tuesday-Thursday) but if your enquiry is urgent please phone the helpdesk directly.
0131 275 7283, Tue-Thurs 9-5pm, or email.
If your enquiry is urgent during this time please contact the team directly 0131 275 7283. Outwith these times please contact Janice Watson, Terminology Services Manager 0141 282 2271.
Additions/enhancements to OPCS
Additions or enhancements to the OPCS codes can be requested from Connecting for Health via their OPCS-4 Requests Portal.
Read, SNOMED-CT request for new code
The Terminology Services co-ordinate requests for new codes for Read and SNOMED-CT in Scotland. These are passed to Connecting for Health for consideration. Please complete the request form 
[28kb] and email to the helpdesk.
Clinical Imaging Procedure Code Requests
Terminology Services provide a code request service for new Radiology Information System codes. Please consult the 
[167kb]new code request procedure and then complete the request form [31kb], if appropriate, and email to the helpdesk. The national catalogue is available from the NHD TRUD download site. Should you require further assistance please contact the helpdesk.
To support NHS Scotland staff in using these nationally agreed coding systems our highly experienced clinical coding tutors and terminology advisors can provide a variety of training courses to suit your needs. Other courses can be developed to suit your needs on request. Please contact the helpdesk should you wish further information.
Dates and venues of upcoming courses are available for viewing.
| Course title | Aimed at | Duration |
| Introduction to ICD10/OPCS4 | Overview only of ICD10/OPCS4 e.g. analysts, health board staff | 2 days |
| ICD10 Foundation Course | New coders | 5 days |
| OPCS4 Foundation Course | New coders | 3 days |
| Refresher course, ICD10 and OPCS4 | Experienced coders | 3 days |
| Mental Health Foundation course | New coders in Mental Health | 3 days |
| Overview of OPCS4 | For coders in non-acute hospitals | 1 day |
| Neoplasms workshop | Experienced coders | 1 day |
| Orthopaedics workshop | Experienced coders | 2 days |
| Anatomy & Physiology | New coders, analysts, health board staff | 2 days |
| Medical Terminology | New coders, analysts, health board staff | 1/2 day |
| Introduction to Read | New Coders in Primary Care | 1/2 day |
| Read in Child Health | Coders in Child Health | 1/2 day |
| Introduction to SNOMED-CT | Various | 1/2 day |
