Maternity Services Dataset (MSDS)

MSDS is a patient-level dataset that captures information at each stage of the maternity care pathway, including mother’s demographics, booking appointments, admissions and re-admissions, screening tests, labour and delivery along with baby’s demographics, admissions, diagnoses and screening tests.  

The MSDS provides a national standard for gathering data from maternity healthcare providers in England by covering key information captured from NHS-funded maternity services. The MSDS provides comparative data used to improve clinical quality and service efficiency and to commission services in a way that improves health and reduces inequalities. 

The data collected will assist care providers, commissioners, clinicians, service users and members of the wider public in understanding what maternity care is delivered, supporting commissioning, payment, planning and outcomes monitoring.  

For more information visit Maternity Services Data Set.

Direction

Read the Direction.  

Legal basis for the collection of the data  

The Health and Social Care Act 2012 (HSCA 2012) section 254.  

Data Provision Notice  

Maternity Services Dataset Data Provision Notice.   

Legal basis for the provision of data  

The Health and Social Care Act 2012 (HSCA 2012) section 259. 

Legal basis for processing the data 

The UK GDPR Article 6 lawful basis for the processing of the personal data within this collection falls under: 

• Article 6(1)(e) processing is necessary for the performance of a task carried out in the public interest or in the exercise of official authority vested in the controller

The UK GDPR Article 9 condition for processing special categories of personal data within the collection falls under: 

• Article 9 2 (h) processing is necessary for the provision of health care or treatment, and for the management of health care systems or services

Transparency notice  

View the Transparency Notice 

Lag time from collection to dissemination

Approximately 3 working days after submission window.  

Frequency  

Monthly.

Commissioning extracts specification 

Maternity Services Dataset specification.  

Suppression rules 

Read the suppression rules.