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Column 4 in the epraccur predefined report is 'High Level Health Geography'. As the name suggests, this field is a geographic mapping from the organisation (practice) postcode to the ICB boundary that postcode falls within.

This is a change from the legacy epraccur.csv, where this field was derived from the commissioner stated in column 15 (the sub ICB location). This change enables 2 use cases to be met - those requiring a geographic mapping should refer to column 4, and those requiring a commissioning relationship can refer to column 15. This change also brings consistency across all predefined reports - ensuring that this field value is consistently derived from the organisation postcode, and updates dynamically should the organisation postcode be changed.

If you require commissioner details, refer to column 15 'Commissioner', as the geographic mapping of a practice postcode to an ICB boundary may differ from local commissioning arrangements. Column 15 'Commissioner' currently contains the sub ICB location code - this can be mapped to the ICB code if required by running the eccg predefined report (sub ICB location codes in column 1 and the ICB code in column 4). A geographic mapping for sub ICB location to ICB is not problematic.

Data Search and Export (DSE) Release 3, successfully went live on 16 May 2025, delivering enhanced functionality and expanded capabilities.

Key features introduced in this release include:

User experience improvements.

Pre-defined reports for egmcmem, niorg.

Multiple report download functionality (export packs):

• Premade package that replicates TRUD Weekly Prescribing Data pack
• User defined report packs, including a 'select all' option
• Multiple download options for report packs (csv or excel, with or without headers)

Creating amendment only/delta files:

• Use 'Last Change Date' to obtain amended records only, since the specified date, for a predefined report
• Use a 'Last Change Period' to obtain amended records only, in last 7, 30 or 90 days, for an export pack

Automated download feature to obtain full files/packs or amendment only files/packs (see below).

User Help and Guidance update.

Users can now, initiate a system/API call to generate and download DSE predefined reports and report bundles - with specifications defined directly within the request URL.

For further guidance on accessing the DSE API endpoint, contact ODS through the 'ODS – General Enquiries and Requests' form on the NHS National IT Customer Support Portal. To access the form:

1. Log into NHS National IT Customer Support Portal.
2. Select 'Submit a Case'.
3. From the categories listed on the left-hand side of the screen, select 'Data Services, Collections & Data sets'.
4. Select the subcategory 'Organisation Data Service (ODS)'.
5. Select the 'ODS – General Enquiries and Requests' form. When submitting the form, please ensure to: 

• select 'ODS Data Search & Export (DSE)' in the Service Offering field
• use 'DSE API Endpoint Guidance' as the short description
• use 'DSE API Endpoint Guidance' as the long description

We have also updated our Reference Data Catalogue. This version provides a comprehensive overview of our data model definitions and includes detailed information on the classification and management of Organisations, Sites, and Practitioners.

This release represents a significant step forward in strengthening and modernising our ODS product suite, enabling progress towards a single source of truth.

If you have any queries relating to the above article, please contact [email protected] with 'ODS DSE Release 3' as the email subject, or make an ODS request via the NHS National IT Customer Support Portal.

ODS Data Search and Export (DSE) has replaced ODS DataPoint, the ODS Portal, and will soon replace the website .csv data downloads.

DSE allows you to design and save your own advanced searches and export results in .csv or .xls format. You can also run/export predefined reports that mirror the current .csv downloads.

ODS will no longer publish the .csv downloads via the ODS website after 30 September 2025.

Please take a look at DSE as soon as possible and contact us via [email protected] should you require any assistance in migrating to this new, exciting tool.

ODS will be contacting users of the TRUD 'Weekly Prescribing Data' and 'Organisation Reference Data' (monthly amendments) packs, to advise them to migrate to Data Search and Export (DSE) by the end of September 2025.

The latest release of DSE included the ability to automate the download of packs of reports, either as full files or amendments only. This functionality replicates what users could do via TRUD. We will share detailed information to support user migration as part of the upcoming engagement exercise.

The withdrawal of the quarterly release of the TRUD Organisation Reference Data (full files) pack will follow in a later phase, as will the withdrawal of the ODS XML Organisation Data' packs.

Do you use the ORD or ODS STU3 API? If so, please complete our short engagement survey to tell us how migration to our new FHIR R4 API will impact you.

Information on deprecation for ODS APIs is below.

ODS disseminate data through several routes, each varying in update frequency and scope of information. This can cause confusion for users comparing data across our product set and increases the maintenance overhead for ODS.

To enhance clarity and efficiency, we are embarking on a modernisation strategy aimed at consolidating our data offerings and moving towards a single source of truth. This approach ensures that all users access consistent and up-to-date information from a unified source. At the same time, we remain committed to providing data in formats that are accessible to our diverse user base, recognising our range of consumers; from non-technical to advanced technical).

The way to request additions or changes to ODS data has changed. ODS requests are now accessed via the NHS National IT Customer Support Portal.

The Organisation Data Service (ODS) webpage has been updated with guidance on how to make ODS requests via the NHS National IT Customer Support Portal.

We have introduced these changes to:

• simplify the request process - this has been achieved this by replacing the Word/Excel forms with simple and clear webforms on the portal
• decrease request processing times - our new portal webforms contain built in validation and verification, which will allow you to provide the necessary information, in the correct format at the start of your request
• improve visibility - you are able to view and update your requests within the NHS National IT Customer Support Portal
• improve guidance material - we now provide better information and signposting for organisations that the ODS team do not support

On 23 December 2024 we sent out communications announcing the deprecation of the ODS FHIR STU3 API. This decision aligns with our efforts to enhance the performance, security, and functionality of our services. While the STU3 API will remain available until 31 December 2025 (supported and maintained), it will become obsolete and retired after this date. No further development work will take place on this API.

We encourage all users to migrate to the Organisation Data Terminology - FHIR R4 API, which offers increased ODS data, combining content found within both the ODS ORD API and the ODS STU3 API. The Organisation Data Terminology FHIR R4 API brings the benefit of a single data source (improving reliability and consistency of data), as well as offering extended support. Publishing ODS data via a FHIR compliant API is a modernisation of the service, allowing for future uplift in line with the FHIR standard and supports interoperability across the health and social care system.  

We understand that transitions require effort, and we are committed to supporting you during this period. To assist with the migration, we have created:  

• implementation guidance and an open API specification as well as a free to access sandbox which gives you a chance to explore the API prior to onboarding 
• a postman collection to provide examples of how to request data  

To use the API in production you will need to: 

• follow the onboarding process
• use API key authentication, for more information on how to get started and how to generate your key, please refer to Step 1. Register your Application on the Platform  

We have also published the ODS data model within a new Reference Data Catalogue. The Data Model pages include a mapping between STU3 data attributes and R4 attributes which we hope will support migration. 

We recommend beginning migration as soon as possible to avoid any potential disruptions. Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions or need guidance. 

ODS will now be sharing Service Announcements via this news webpage.  If we encounter issues with any of our tools or products, we will advise customers by posting a temporary 'Service announcement' at the top of our news page.

We advise all customers to check this webpage for service announcements before raising a call with the National Service Desk, in case you are experiencing a known issue, which is already under investigation or resolution.

In addition, users can also now sign up to receive High Severity Service Incident (HSSI) and Major Incident notifications for both the ODS FHIR API and ODS Data search and export.

To receive these communications, you will need to log into the ServiceNow customer portal using one of the following web links. 

• for users with an NHS England X26 (previously NHS Digital) corporate login - 
• for users in the wider NHS and supporting partners (including NHS England staff with an NHS England  X24 email address) 

If you have an existing account, once logged in you need to: 

• Select Request something
• From left hand menu select Major alert subscriptions
• Select Alert subscription request
• Complete mandatory fields
• From the Service category select Data service and data operations
• Select Submit

If you do not have an existing account, you will first need to register for the portal via the ‘Register’ link on the portal Welcome page. Additional guidance for registering can be found in the ‘User guide’ on the same page. Once registered you can subscribe to receive communications as above.

ODS would like to take a more proactive approach to the maintenance of NHS trust and care trust organisation and site codes by implementing an OC1 Census. On a regular review cycle (no more frequently than annually to minimise burden on trusts), we will send trust site code reports to OC1s for validation. They will include ePACT codes and will also list Trust BSA authorised signatories.

We have produced supporting information that will be sent out along with the reports to explain the purpose, benefits and process to be followed. This census is currently limited to trusts due to resource limitations. trust OC1s will receive further information in due course, but please raise any immediate queries via [email protected].

The table below provides the dates for ODS publication releases over the course of 2025.

The cut-off date is the deadline for submitting new site code requests to ODS for them to be included in the following release. Any codes allocated after the cut-off will not be published until the subsequent release.

We provide two types of releases:

• for February, May, August, and November we produce a full quarterly release, which contains the full suite of our products; changes made since the previous reduced release, changes made since the previous full release and comprehensive lists of all organisations. The full release also contains data from our counterparts within the various home countries along with data received from the ONS
• for the remaining months we produce a reduced release which will only contain the changes made since the previous release. This type of release excludes any updates to Home Countries data and ONS data

Any future changes to this schedule will be publicised three months in advance of it coming into effect.  This notification will happen via the ODS quarterly newsletter and within a news Item published on the ODS home page.

Upcoming ODS release dates

Relevant timeframe: July - August 2024

The ‘Sub-ICB Reporting Entity' code solution applied to London ICBs in April 2024 has now been rolled out to Frimley ICB. 5 new codes with a primary role of 'RO98 Clinical Commissioning Group' and a non primary role of 'RO327 Sub ICB Reporting Entity' have been created to enable the granular reporting required by Frimley ICB.

Read more about these changes