Clinical Referral Date

Change History
DSCN 2025 / 01	Audiology Wait Times Data Set
DSCN 2012 / 11	Elective Admission List Data Set (EAL Ds)
DSCN 2009 / 09	NHS Reforms: NHS Wales Data Definition Update
DSCN 13/05 (W)	Subject: Revising terminology to reflect 'A Guide to Good Practice – Elective Services'

This data item is / was included in the following data sets / collections between the dates shown:

Data Set / Collection	Valid From	Valid To
OP ds	1^st April 1999
EAL ds	1^st April 1999	21^st November 2012
OPR ds	1^st July 2008
AUD WT ds	1^st April 2025

(OP ds: up to the 31^st March 2006, this data item was known as 'Referral Request Received Date')

The Clinical Referral Date (CRD) is the clinically significant date marking the start of a period of waiting either for an initial outpatient consultation or for an episode of treatment such as elective surgery. The CRD is used to order pick lists used for booking patients, and it does not change under any circumstances. It is not used to calculate performance waiting times statistics.

Outpatients

The Clinical Referral Date (CRD) is the date that the referral of an outpatient appointment is received in the Local Health Board/Trust. All referrals should be date stamped on opening – this date stamp is the CRD. In addition, this CRD must be entered into PAS on the same day.

If the referral request takes the form of a phone call followed by a letter, record the date when the letter arrives. If there is no following letter, the date of the verbal request should be recorded.

Inpatient and Day case events

The Clinical Referral Date (CRD) is the date that a decision was made by the clinician within the Local Health Board/Trust (or GP outside the Local Health Board/Trust in cases of direct access referrals) to list the patient for treatment. The CRD is used to order the waiting list selection of patients.

Format: 8 digit numeric, CCYYMMDD

Note: The Clinical Referral Date (CRD) never changes.