One example of changing methods of delivering care and treatment in hospital has been the greater use of nurse-led outpatient clinics. Although this nurse-led activity has been recognised as a growing feature in the modern NHS, it has not been possible, until now, to quantify the extent of this activity at national level from routine national information systems. Work is in hand to establish robust information processes in NHS Boards that identify the nature and scope of nurse-led activity based on improved definitions and standards and explicit reporting of activities undertaken.

The ISD(S)1 aggregated statistical scheme was extended to capture this activity. The findings of the first four full years of collection (2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07 and 2007/08) are presented in the tables below - covering nurse-led clinics in acute specialties and other non-acute specialties.

ISD has worked with data suppliers in NHS Boards to overcome some of the difficulties experienced in producing this data over the last year to improve its coverage and quality.  The data previously published on this site have been revised as a result of this collaborative work to better reflect the extent of this outpatient activity.

ISD has also made provision for the recording of nurse-led activity using the person-based SMR00 recording scheme. This provision should allow, in the future, explicit identification of the types of procedures carried out by specialist nurses as well as insight into the characteristics of patients seen in nurse-led clinics.

(a) Acute Specialties
Table presenting preliminary aggregate data supplied by NHS Boards covering nurse-led patient contacts in acute specialties for the years ending 31 March 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008  

(b) Non-Acute Specialties
Table presenting preliminary aggregate data supplied by a selection of NHS Boards covering nurse-led patient contacts in non-acute specialties for the years ending 31 March 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008