Please note that the NHS Data Model and Dictionary content relating to the Patient Level Information Costing System data sets has not been updated for the financial year 2021-2022.  Please refer to the Information Standards pages at: Patient Level Information and Costing Systems for the latest specifications. 

Introduction

The Patient Level Information Costing System Integrated Data Set is used to standardise the method of reporting cost information at PATIENT level. All designated NHS Health Care Providers are required to submit Patient Level Information Costing data.

The Patient Level Information Costing System Integrated Data Set is used to:

• inform new methods of pricing NHS SERVICES
• inform new approaches and other changes to the design of the currencies used to price NHS SERVICES
• contribute to NHS England's strategic objective of a ‘single national cost collection
• inform the relationship between provider characteristics and cost
• help NHS Trusts to maximise use of their resources and improve efficiencies, as required by the provider licence
• identify the relationship between PATIENT characteristics and cost
• support an approach to benchmarking for regulatory purposes.

Data Extract Specification

Description

NHS England has mandated designated NHS Trusts and NHS Foundation Trusts to record and report:

• Patient Level Information Costing System Reconciliation Data Set
• Patient Level Information Costing System Integrated Data Set - Admitted Patient Care (Acute)
• Patient Level Information Costing System Integrated Data Set - Emergency Care (Acute)
• Patient Level Information Costing System Integrated Data Set - Out-Patient Care (Acute)
• Patient Level Information Costing System Integrated Data Set - Specialist Ward Care (Acute)
• Patient Level Information Costing System Integrated Data Set - Supplementary Information
• Patient Level Information Costing System Integrated Data Set - Admitted Patient Care (Mental Health)
• Patient Level Information Costing System Integrated Data Set - Care Contacts (Mental Health)
• Patient Level Information Costing System Integrated Data Set - Improving Access to Psychological Therapies

Reporting is required at the end of each financial year, consistent with the methodologies and submission processes in the Approved Costing Guidance. This only includes those NHS Health Care Providers noted in the Costing Mandation Timetable and does not include non-NHS Health Care Providers.

Time

The data is collected annually. It must be submitted in accordance with the timetable set out by NHS England in the National Cost Collection Guidance (part of the Approved Costing Guidance).

Format

The data should be submitted in an XML file, created by NHS England's Data Validation Tool (DVT). Information on how to access and use this tool is included in the National Cost Collection Guidance (part of the Approved Costing Guidance).

Transmission

Patient Level Information Costing data will be submitted to NHS England using Secure Electronic File Transfer (SEFT). Secure Electronic File Transfer (SEFT) can only be accessed by registered and approved users and NHS England will invite relevant people to register for the service and provide details of the log in process.

Mandation

The Mandation column indicates the recommendation for the inclusion of data.

• M = Mandatory: this data element is mandatory and the technical process (e.g. submission of the data set, production of output etc) cannot be completed without this data element being present
• R = Required: NHS business processes cannot be delivered without this data element.

Data Set Constraints

For guidance on the Data Set constraints, see the:

• PLICS Reconciliation Data Set Constraints
• PLICS Integrated Data Set Admitted Patient Care (Acute) Constraints
• PLICS Integrated Data Set Emergency Care (Acute) Constraints
• PLICS Integrated Data Set Out-Patient Care (Acute) Constraints
• PLICS Integrated Data Set Specialist Ward Care (Acute) Constraints
• PLICS Acute Supplementary Information Data Set Constraints
• PLICS Integrated Data Set Mental Health Admitted Patient Care Constraints
• PLICS Mental Health Care Contacts Data Set Constraints
• PLICS Integrated Data Set Improving Access to Psychological Therapies Constraints