Clinical and health related data are collected on various national patient based datasets (e.g.Scottish Morbidity Records, Scottish Cancer Registry ). To ensure data is recorded consistently and accurately, nationally agreed coding systems are used. These coding systems are the International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision (ICD-10) for diagnoses and the Office of Population Censuses and Surveys, Fourth Revision (OPCS4) for procedures and interventions and Read codes in primary care. SNOMED-CT will eventually become the terminology of choice and will cover both primary and secondary care encompassing all the coding systems mentioned above and allow the NHS in Scotland to progress towards an Electronic Patient Record in line with the Scottish Executive's eHealth Agenda.

The Terminology Service offers advice and support to users of coding and terminology systems in Scotland. We also work closely with the National Clinical Datasets Development Programme (NCDDP) by advising on relevant SNOMED terminology to be assigned to data items for integration into electronic clinical systems.

This site contains

• Information on ICD-10, OPCS4, Read and SNOMED coding and terminology systems
• Information on various training courses that we provide
• Details of how to contact the Terminology Helpdesk and staff within the service
• Information on how to request new codes (OPCS, Read, SNOMED and RIS)
• Details on how to access a SNOMED browser to view the entire SNOMED content.
• Useful links and downloads

Latest News....

9th July 2008 - CfH held a conference on SNOMED CT and Interoperable Healthcare on 2nd July in Birmingham. Presentations can be viewed via their website .

24th June 2008 - Joyce McAdie, Clinical Coding Tutor, has now retired after 13 years with ISD. All enquiries regarding training in the north of Scotland should now be directed to our tutors via the helpdesk. All enquiries relting to PCSMR should be made via the ISD IT helpdesk on 0131 275 7777.

14th June 2008 - Closing date for all new Read code requests. Any requests for new Read codes should be submitted via the helpdesk before 25th June for inclusion in the October release.