Secondary Software

How to submit data

There are two ways in which you can submit patient data to the NACR:

(a) By entering data directly into the national database.

(b) By entering data directly into a local database (clinical management system) and submit data to the NACR via File Submission.

A local database can be defined as a database designed in-house (i.e. in Microsoft Access or Excel format), a hospital system (i.e. PAS) or a commercial system that has been developed by a third party and purchased by your organisation (i.e. TOMCAT, DATACAM, PATS, SystmOne).

Using File Submission ('Importing')

I would like to continue using our local database, how can I submit the NACR data to the HSCIC?

If you are using a database that has been designed in-house (i.e. Microsoft Access or Excel) you will have to;

(a) ensure that all of the minimum dataset fields are contained in the local database

(b) contact your IM&T department and ask them to write an export routine so that the patient data can be exported from the local database

Who is responsible for setting up the file submission?

If the local database is an in-house database then this should be done by your IM&T department or those responsible for developing the database.

If the local database is one that has been purchased from a third party then you should enquire to whether there is already facility available to do this. Enquiries should be made directly with the third party responsible for developing the database. The NACR project team have a list of the third party software developers that have integrated the minimum dataset into their database.

What information is needed?

Either the IM&T department or third party suppliers who design files to be submitted to the HSCIC must construct the data in a specific format, as a comma separated value (CSV). The required format is available in the User Downloads section along with a short Importing User Guide.

Once the file is available, how do I send the data to the HSCIC?

The the patient data should be extracted from your database, and imported into the national database using the ‘File Submission’ section of NACR.

How often to upload data

The submission of patient data can be done daily, weekly or monthly. This should be agreed with whoever is responsible for exporting and importing the data within your organisation. Ideally, we would recommend at least monthly.