What is the Emergency Care Data Set?

The Emergency Care Data Set (ECDS) was first introduced in 2017 and is now embedded as the national data set for urgent and emergency care.

The ECDS includes a wide variety of data items, from patient demographics and chief complaint to diagnosis and discharge. Capturing this information builds an accurate picture of the demands faced by Emergency Departments (EDs) and of patient care.

ECDS provides information to support and optimise the care provided in EDs. It shows us a picture of patient needs, and capacity and demand in EDs throughout England. This enables us to make evidence based and informed decisions to improve patient care, experience, and outcomes.

The vision for the ECDS is for it to become the single source of ‘true data’ for ED activity in England.

What about ECDS in an SDEC setting?

Accurately recording SDEC activity via a consistent data set is an important part of improving urgent and emergency care (UEC) services. ECDS will provide this consistency. The Information Standard Notice (ISN) for ECDS version 4 was published in January 2023 and mandates that all SDEC services must record their patient data in the ECDS by 1 July 2024.

Following the publication of The 2024/25 priorities and operational planning guidance, systems are asked to  maintain clinically-led system co-ordination centres to effectively manage risk, and ensure that all trusts are consistently and accurately recording key metrics including the Discharge Ready Date, SDEC activity in the Emergency Care Data Set (ECDS).

ECDS guidance and documents

Information about SDEC services and uptake, will be collated to provide an understanding of how and why people use the service. Having access to this data means we can improve planning and reduce pressure on the system, ultimately leading to better patient experience and outcomes.

As part of the national SDEC model, the ECDS is being expanded to include SDEC services and will enable a more comprehensive view of patient flow across the UEC system.

For ECDS related queries please email england.sdec@nhs.net.