As part of our ongoing work to improve SNOMED coding of Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) and Long Covid within primary care, we have launched a new evaluation initiative across Berkshire. Following the distribution of GP education packs to surgeries across Oxfordshire, which included coding cards designed to support accurate patient records, we have issued a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to GP surgeries across Berkshire to support this work. The aim is to collect data on the number of patients coded for ME and Long Covid both before and after the distribution of the coding cards. This data will enable us to evaluate the impact of the coding cards and assess whether they improve SNOMED coding accuracy in primary care.
Why does coding matter?
When a GP records a diagnosis in a patient's electronic health record, they use a standardised clinical vocabulary known as SNOMED CT, which is designed to be consistently readable across digital systems. All NHS healthcare providers in England are now required to use SNOMED CT to capture clinical information within electronic patient records, with similar programmes underway in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
The code assigned to a condition determines whether that patient is visible in local and national healthcare data.
If conditions are not accurately coded, patients can effectively become invisible in the data.
This has significant consequences:
- Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) and NHS commissioners use coded data alongside other metrics to plan and fund services. If patients are not accurately recorded, services may not be developed to meet their needs.
- This issue is particularly important for people with very severe ME/CFS. Many NHS services are not currently commissioned to support this group, making it especially important to accurately capture and highlight gaps in provision.
Improving coding accuracy is therefore a crucial step towards ensuring patients are recognised, counted, and appropriately supported within the healthcare system.