Our Linked Data
The Discover Dataset
The Discover data is the NWL deidentified dataset – linked coded primary care, secondary, acute, mental health, community health and social care record for over 2.7 million patients who live and are registered with a GP in North West London, with new data feeds frequently being acquired. Scroll down for a full list of feeds.
Find out how you can access the data here.
More information can be found in the Acceptable Use Policy Guidance.
Read the NWL Data Protection Impact Assessment.
Where does the linked data in Discover-NOW come from?
Discover, the NWL deidentified dataset, is linked to the Whole Systems Integrated Care (WSIC) data, which is used by health and care professionals for the purpose of delivering direct care to patients. This includes data from over 400 provider organisations including 350+ GP practices, two mental health and two community trusts and all acute providers attended by NWL patients.
What can the NWL deidentified Discover data provide?
- A linked longitudinal health and social care record for the population of NWL.
- Coded primary care data from birth including prescriptions and events and hospital activity data covering diagnosis, procedures, and events.
- Various pre-built algorithms such as Electronic Frailty Index (EFI), Patient Activation Measures (known as PAM which is measure of capacity to self-care) and long-term conditions defined under the NHS Digital Quality Outcomes Framework (QOF).
- Identify the burden of a disease and associated costs to the healthcare system.
Please note that the below datasets are exemplars of the Discover-NOW collection. A comprehensive list can be found at the Health Data Research Innovation Gateway.
Linked data
Our linked data from North West London are made up of the feeds below:
Pathology (NWL PATH)
The NWL Pathology linked table is a direct feed from The Doctors Laboratory and North West London Pathology for patients registered within NWL. Some of the data items included are test dates and times, test codes and names and test results.
Accident and Emergency Data (NWL A&E)
The NWL A&E linked table contains records from the Secondary Users Service database which contains records of care administered in an A&E setting within NWL. Some of the data items included are dates, referral sources, diagnosis and treatments.
Admitted Patient Care Data (NWL APC)
The NWL APC linked table contains records from the Secondary Users Service database which contains records of care administered in an APC setting within NWL. Some of the data items included are admission and discharge dates, diagnosis(ICD10) and procedures(OPCS4)
Adult Social Care Data (NWL ASC)
The NWL ASC linked table holds care package data relating to patients registered with a NWL GP. A locally agreed data set between NWL boroughs and commissioners has defined data items such as start and end dates, allocated teams and service descriptions.
Community Data (NWL COM)
The NWL COM linked table holds activity data from Community Providers which contains records of care administered in a Community setting within NWL. Some of the data items included are breastfeeding and nutrition, scored assessments and screening activity.
Coordinate My Care (NWL CMC)
The NWL CMC linked table is an innovative NHS service that builds medical care around the wishes of each patient. Patients registered with a NWL General Practice can create plans with their GP and share with healthcare professionals treating them.
High Cost Drugs Data (NWL HCD)
The NWL HCD linked table are a number of high cost drugs that are excluded from the Payment by Results (PbR) tariff. They are typically specialist and are delivered to patients within NWL. The data includes details such as drug name, quantity and dosage.
Integrated Care Record (NWL ICR)
The NWL ICR links all the tables held within DISCOVER-NOW via a de-identified patient key. This can be used for pathway analysis and population health analysis across care settings as Discover-NOW has data for primary, secondary and social care.
Mental Health Data (NWL MH)
The NWL MH linked table holds activity data from Mental health providers and contains the type and location of care received, episodes of care, diagnoses and questionnaire scores for individuals who have accessed adult mental health services within NWL.
Population data (NWL POP)
The NWL POP table holds the NWL registered patients and key demographic information about them i.e. age, gender, ethnicity etc.
Patient Index (NWL PI)
The NWL Patient Index linked tables holds demographics for patients registered to a practices within NWL such as patient age, gender, first language and ethnicity. Lower Super Output Area and Index of Multiple Deprivation Rank is also included.
Outpatient Care Data (NWL OP)
The NWL OP linked table contains records from the Secondary Users Service database which contains records of care administered in an OP setting within NWL. Some of the data items included are appointment dates, HRG codes, specialties and referral sources.
Primary Care Events Data (NWL PCE)
The NWL Primary Care Events holds coded interactions between NWL registered patients and GP using EMIS or S1. This includes all clinical and non-clinical events the GPs have recorded for the patient, the data has now got SNOMED codes incorporated.
Primary Care Prescriptions Data (NWL PCP)
The NWL Primary Care Prescriptions covers all General Practices in NWL using EMIS or S1. This provides details of supply of prescriptions, issue date, primary care organisation that issued as well as whether it is a repeat or one-off prescription.