Change to update the coded values within the National Cancer Dataset: Waiting Times Subset. There will be no change to the actual definitions of the item, the number of patients within scope of the collection or the burden of collection upon the NHS. The most significant data items that have been identified as requiring an update are:

• CANCER TREATMENT MODALITY, which we have identified as being in need of an update to include better coding for non-active treatments e.g. Watchful Waiting and new codes for treatments introduced since the original publication of the dataset, e.g. Argon Beam Therapy (a type of treatment with lasers); and

• The coded fields for identifying why delays occur, including DELAY REASON TO TREATMENT (CANCER) and DELAY REASON REFERRAL TO FIRST SEEN (CANCER OR BREAST SYMPTOMS), which need to be updated in accordance with business needs identified during the post implementation review of DSCN 20/2008.

This revision to the NCWTMDS is intended to increase the level of transparency around the reporting of patient choice delays, whilst keeping the NCWTMDS in line with wider changes to Commissioning Data Sets and developments in treatment techniques. This change also supports the phased introduction of data transmission in XML format