The Federated Data Platform began roll-out to NHS trusts in April 2024, following a pilot phase which began in 2022. The NHS Federated Data Platform is a software platform that enables NHS organisations to bring together operational data, which is currently stored in separate systems.

This supports staff to access the information they need in one safe and secure environment and use it to improve how they work and deliver care for patients.

The NHS Federated Data Platform is available for all trusts in England.

What the data shows

This data presents a quarterly snapshot of information about:

• the uptake of the NHS Federated Data Platform across NHS hospital trusts
• the uptake, impacts or benefits being realised using NHS Federated Data Platform nationally commissioned, locally developed products

We update these numbers every three months, showing information from the previous quarter. The next update will be in January 2026.

The data below was updated on 30 October 2025.

Uptake: NHS Federated Data Platform trust use

77 – number of NHS hospital trusts that are on the NHS Federated Data Platform*

* The number of NHS hospital trusts that are on the NHS Federated Data Platform and reporting benefits from nationally commissioned, locally developed products, as at end of September 2025.

See a list of all the NHS trusts live with NHS Federated Data Platform that are experiencing benefits.

Uptake: NHS Federated Data Platform integrated care board (ICB) use

41 – number of NHS integrated care boards that are on the NHS Federated Data Platform*

* The number of NHS integrated care boards that are live with the NHS Federated Data Platform, as at end of September 2025.

See a list of all the NHS integrated care boards live with NHS Federated Data Platform.

Uptake: NHS Federated Data Platform trusts signed up

150 – number of NHS hospital trusts that have signed up to the NHS Federated Data Platform*

* The total number of NHS hospital trusts that have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to join the NHS Federated Data Platform, as at end of September 2025.

See a list of all the NHS organisations that have signed up to the NHS Federated Data Platform.

Uptake: NHS Federated Data Platform ICBs signed up

41 – number of NHS integrated care boards that have signed up to the NHS Federated Data Platform*

* The total number of NHS integrated care boards that have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to join the NHS Federated Data Platform, as at end of September 2025.

See a list of all the NHS organisations that have signed up to the NHS Federated Data Platform.

NHS Federated Data Platform nationally commissioned, locally developed products uptake and impact

Nationally commissioned, locally developed products are available for use by trusts with an instance of the NHS Federated Data Platform.

Impact or benefits figures are aggregate statistics from across all trusts that use the product.

For more information about the methodology behind these benefits see: NHS England » Methodology for the published uptake and benefits information

Inpatients Care Co-ordination Solution

The Inpatients Care Co-ordination Solution (CCS) tool flags entries in the waiting list for further investigation, based on an agreed set of criteria. This functionality helps clinical teams identify which patient entries no longer need to be included and can be safely removed from the waiting list, ensuring that the correct patients receive the necessary care and attention.

This product also aids with theatre scheduling, ensuring that clinicians have the data they need to prioritise patients with the most urgent needs and book slots for surgery.

Please follow the below links for case studies that describe in more detail the impact this product is having on the speed of patient treatment at trusts deploying the solution:

• NHS England » New technology cutting waiting times for patients in Dorset
• NHS England » Patients being seen faster in South London
• NHS England » Staff time savings and more surgeries for patients in North Cumbria

Uptake: trusts using Inpatient CCS

36 – WL module*
39 – theatres module*

* Total number of NHS hospital trusts realising benefits from using the Inpatient CCS product, as at end of June 2025.

Impact: increasing the number of patients undergoing procedures in hospital theatres

80,923 – Total number of additional patients undergoing procedures in theatres*

* A cumulative total of additional patients undergoing procedures in theatres by NHS trusts with the Inpatient Care Coordination Solution until end of June 2025, compared to the previous period without NHS Federated Data Platform use.

Impact: safely removing patients from the inpatient waitlist who are no longer waiting for treatment

77,206 – total number of patients safely requested for removal from the waitlist*

* Total number of patients safely requested for removal from the waitlist, since any trust began using the Inpatient product, until end of June 2025.

Broader benefits of using this product include

• Identification of patients who have been waiting the longest so they can be given attention.
• Identifying currently under-used theatre sessions means resources can be used more efficiently and effectively.
• Reduction in the amount of time staff spent on waiting list administration for administrators, managers and clinicians. Clinical staff can be freed up to support the care of patients.
• Patients who no longer require treatment are safely removed so that attention and prioritisation can be given to those patients who do still require treatment.

Outpatients Care Co-ordination Solution

This product provides waiting list validation and data quality tools. The Outpatient Care Co-ordination Solution (CCS) product flags entries in the waitlist for further investigation, based on an agreed set of criteria.

This allows teams to identify which patient entries no longer need to be included, for example if the patient is deceased or there is a duplicate entry.

These waiting list entries can then be safely removed from the waiting list by clinicians, ensuring that the correct patients are listed and then receive the necessary care and attention.

Uptake: trusts using Outpatient CCS

16 – number of NHS hospital trusts realising benefits from using the NHS Federated Data Platform Outpatient CCS product*

* Number of NHS hospital trusts realising benefits from using the NHS Federated Data Platform Outpatient CCS product, as at end of June 2025.

Impact: safely removing patients from the outpatient waitlist who should no longer be there

213,101 – total number of patients safely requested for removal from the waitlist*

* Total number of patients safely requested for removal from the waitlist, since any trust began using the outpatient product, until end of June 2025.

Broader benefits of use of this product include

• Easier identification of which patients have been waiting the longest so action can be taken to ensure they are given attention
• Reduction in the amount of time staff spent on waiting list administration
• Clinical staff can be freed up to support the care of patients
• Patients can be provided with more reliable information on when their out-patient appointment will take place
• Increase in responsiveness when slots become free at short notice (e.g. patient cancellation), reducing the risk of wasted clinic slots or duplicate/unnecessary outpatient appointments

Referral to treatment (RTT) validation tool

In England, under the NHS Constitution, patients ‘have the right to access certain services commissioned by NHS bodies within maximum waiting times, or for the NHS to take all reasonable steps to offer a range of suitable alternative providers if this is not possible’.

NHS England collects and publishes monthly referral to treatment (RTT) data which is used to monitor NHS waiting times performance against the standards set out in the National Health Service Commissioning Board and Clinical Commissioning Groups. Read more about Referral to treatment.

This product supports NHS staff to better manage the waiting list of patients who have been referred for non-urgent care. A period validation is a check that actions have been taken so that patients move along their care pathway, in line with NHS standards.

This supports patients to be seen in a timely way and supports up to date communications to be sent to both the patient and health providers (for example, GPs) regarding the outcomes and any future care needs.

Referral to treatment waiting times monitor the length of time from referral through to elective treatment. The RTT validation product provides a near-real time list of patients, that all clinical teams can access and view.

Teams are then able to work together to identify delays in patient pathways and provide the necessary pre-procedure checks and post-care assessment activities.

This has led to improved efficiency and time savings, with operational teams able to track more pathways and support better prioritisation of patients.

Uptake: trusts using Referral to Treatment validation product

18 – number of NHS hospital trusts realising benefits from using the Referral to Treatment validation tool*

* Number of NHS hospital trusts realising benefits from using the Referral to Treatment validation tool, as at end of June 2025.

Impact: Increasing checks that the right actions have been taken along the patient’s care pathway, in line with NHS standards

2,232,741 – total number of records that have been reviewed using the RTT validation product*

* Total number of records that have been reviewed using the RTT validation product, to make sure that people are on the right waiting list for their treatment needs. Number refers to the period from the start of the programme until end of June 2025.

563,239 – total number of people who have been removed from the waiting list for a number of reasons*

* Total number of people who have been removed from the waiting list for a number of reasons. This includes patients who have been treated for the condition they were referred, who may have returned to primary care for GP-led treatment or whose condition may have improved so they do not need further care.

It also includes patients who may have changed their mind about treatment, moved out of the country or decided to access private care. Number refers to the period from the start of the programme until end of June 2025.

OPTICA (Optimised Patient Tracking and Intelligent Choices Application)

This solution was designed to reduce unnecessary stays in hospital once patients are medically ready to return to their appropriate setting.

It works by integrating with hospital electronic patient records and other local health and social care data systems, to ensure that relevant information related to patient discharges is available, in one place, as a single version of the truth.

OPTICA supports a shared way of working for health and social care teams, providing actionable intelligence to help care teams properly plan for timely discharges.

It helps to ensure that any avoidable delays leaving hospital are kept to a minimum, that hospital beds aren’t unnecessarily occupied and patients are discharged to the appropriate place of care in a safe and timely manner.

Please follow the below links for case studies that describe in more detail the impact this solution is having on reducing discharge delays:

• NHS England » New data-led solution reduces delays to patient discharges
• NHS England » Digital technology supporting faster discharge in the North East
• NHS England » Patient flow and discharge improvements at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust (video)

Uptake trusts using OPTICA

23 – total number of NHS hospital trusts realising benefits from using the OPTICA product, as at end of June 2025

Impact: getting patients home faster by reducing the number of days patients are stuck in hospital (average reduction in delayed days for patients)

This metric compares the 12 months before and after the introduction of OPTICA.

* Patients in this metric have been in hospital for a minimum of 7 days+ and a delay day is any day that a patient is still in hospital after they have been declared medically fit to go home.

14.1% – decrease in average number of delay days for patients staying in hospital for more than 14 days after rolling out OPTICA*

This metric compares the 12 months before and after the introduction of OPTICA.

* Patients in this metric have been in hospital for a minimum of 14 days+ and a delay day is any day that a patient is still in hospital after they have been declared medically fit to go home.

14.9% – decrease in average number of delay days for long stay (21 days or more) patients after rolling out OPTICA*

This metric compares the 12 months before and after the introduction of OPTICA.

* Long stay patients are those in hospital for 21 days + and a delay day is any day that a patient is still in hospital after they have been declared medically fit to go home.

206,473 – total number of patients discharged from hospital with the help of OPTICA*

* A cumulative total of patients discharged using the NHS FDP OPTICA product.

Broader benefits of this product include:

• Freeing up clinical staff time by eliminating the need for unnecessary administrative tasks, such as back-and-forth communications to understand where a delay in a patient discharge was occurring.
• Increased visibility for NHS and social care teams so they can understand where each patient is on their discharge journey and communicate this to patients and caregivers.
• Enabling more junior members of staff to take greater ownership and responsibility, freeing senior nursing staff time so they can oversee complex discharges.