WELCOME to the clinical coder's toolbox.

To ensure the quality of coded clinical data is at its best all clinical coders in the NHS acute sector that use ICD-10 and OPCS-4 must have:

• received the appropriate training,
• attended a clinical coding foundation course,
• completed the core curriculum laid out below, and
• be using the correct coding tools.

Tools in the box - core curriculum for coders

All clinical coders must have completed the following requirements whether their role is a clinical coder, Clinical Coding Trainer, Clinical Coding Auditor or Clinical Coding Manager. Without these basic principles career progression will be limited and the quality of coded clinical data at risk of being below par. Evidence from the Audit Commissions work to audit clinical coding in the NHS has proved a link between investment in training and accurate data standards.

The links below will take you to the information on the core curriculum as the basis of their work. These are the core needs regardless of whether your intention is to then develop your career professionally to go on to become a Clinical Coding Trainer, Clinical Coding Auditor or Clinical Coding Manager.

• Information on starting out as a coder clinical coding foundation course
• How to keep up to date with current coding standards clinical coding refresher course
• How to increase your coding knowledge by attending a coding course clinical coding speciality workshops
• Do you want to improve your computer skills? NHS Microsoft Office Skills training (MOST)
• Would you like to become an Accredited Clinical Coder following two years of taking up a coding post and having reached a level of expertise.? National Clinical Coding Qualification (UK)
• See the Training and Accreditation section for more on courses and workshops. You may also wish to find out more about continuing professional development.

Clinical coding tools

Below are listed the basic tools of the coding trade essential to the job in addition to our top tips:

• It's impossible to code without the all important OPCS-4 and ICD-10 books. OPCS-4 Tabular List and Alphabetical Index. ICD-10 Volumes 1-3: 2012 ICD Edition and until further notice.

• If you want to find out what work is being done to improve the quality of coded clinical data in the NHS Data Quality Review Newsletter
• If you need clarification on a national standard then you need the Coding Clinic publication which is the technical manual issuing updates on coding data standards and the resolutions of the UK Coding Review Panel. 
• If you're having difficulty resolving a clinical coding query and all avenues to resolve the query at Trust level have been exhausted then submit the query via the Clinical Coding Helpdesk using the appropriate proforma NHS Clinical Coding Coding Query Mechanism
• Information Standards Notice are the official notification of changes in data collection requirements and essential reading for suppliers and IT professionals.
• A Trust policy and procedure manual for clinical coding is useful to establish data quality rules within clinical coding management. Read more about policies and procedures.
• Medical dictionary.
• Do you need to find out practical information on the selection and clinical use of medicines? Then refer to the British National Formulary: a website with practical information on the selection and clinical use of medicines.
• The NHS Data Model and Dictionary Service provides a reference source of assured information standards and definitions

Training materials

Training manuals are issued free to those attending NHS Classifications Service authorised training courses:

• Clinical Coding Instruction Manual ICD-10 and OPCS-4.
• Basic Anatomy and Physiology Instruction Manual.
• Four-step coding process (e-learning module).
• Clinical Coding Instruction Manual for Mental Health.

Read more about the manuals.

Supporting information

• The NHS Classifications Service are responsible for the development, authouring and annual review cycle of OPCS-4
• The development of SNOMED CT as the system being built into the electronic care record
• Data Protection Act 1988.

Further tools

Below are links to other relevant external websites.

• Health Informatics careers in the NHS.
• UK Council for Health Informatics Professionals (UKCHIP).
• Association for ICT Professionals in Health and Social Care (ASSIST).
• Institute of Health Record and Information Management (IHRIM).