Priority Type

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

This describes the priority and response time of the referral of either clinical demand or service.

For Outpatient data set:

This is the priority of a request for services and is to be recorded for new attendances only, that is, where ‘Attendance Category’= 1. In the case of services to be provided by a Consultant, it is as assessed by or on behalf of the Consultant.

For a Follow Up Attendance or a Pre-Operative Assessment Attendance, Priority Type must be blank.

For RTT PTL data set: Where Stage of Pathway = 1 - ‘Priority Type’ is the priority given following initial triage upon receipt of referral. Where Stage of Pathway = 2, 3, or 4 – ‘Priority Type’ is the priority given at each subsequent stage of the pathway. Where this is unknown, the ‘Priority Type’ allocated at stage 1 should be carried forward.

Note: Priority Type can be defined more precisely if this is needed for local purposes, as long as the classifications can be mapped back to the national ones. Appointments which have been classified as 'soon' locally must be defined as 'Urgent' in the datasets. This excludes Ophthalmology specialty (where the new clinical prioritisation process has been applied.)

Format: 1 digit numeric