Overview

SNOMED CT® - the Systematised Nomenclature of Medicine - is a clinical terminology. It is a common computerised language that will be used by all computer applications in the NHS to facilitate communications between healthcare professionals in clear and unambiguous terms. It has greater depth and coverage of healthcare than the versions of Clinical Terms (Read Codes) that it will replace and will enable clinicians, researchers and patients to share and exchange healthcare and clinical knowledge worldwide.

The National Programme for Information Technology depends on having a common language for gathering and sharing medical knowledge. SNOMED CT® has been chosen to be the language of the NHS Care Records Service and will cut down the potential for differing interpretation of information and the possibility of errors resulting from traditional paper records.

Resources

• NHS Connecting for Health website - how SNOMED CT® is being implemented to support the National Programme for IT.
• SNOMED CT - the language of the NHS Care Records Service (PDF, 180Kb)- A guide for NHS staff in England - revised November 2007
• A set of Frequently Asked Questions about SNOMED CT® implementation in the NHS.
• A SNOMED CT® eLearning module has been developed for anyone who will be using applications incorporating SNOMED CT and provides a good basic knowledge of how SNOMED CT works.
• SNOMED CT® will be embedded in the applications being developed and deployed by LSPs. It is expected that healthcare professionals will be trained in the use of those applications, and where appropriate, the use of SNOMED CT® within them.
• National Clinical Coding Qualification (UK) - The National Clinical Coding Qualification (UK) is the only nationally recognised qualification for clinical coders working in the NHS. It is a national standard qualification that values their unique skills and knowledge. The qualification was established by NHS Connecting for Health in partnership with administration and awarding body, the Institute for Health Record and Information Management (IHRIM).

Further Information

In April 2007 the intellectual property rights of SNOMED Clinical Terms were sold to a newly-formed board called the International Health Terminology Standards Development Organisation based in Denmark.

The IHSTDO is made up of nine nations - Australia, Canada, Denmark, Lithuania, the Netherlands, New Zealand, the United States and the United Kingdom with Connecting for Health acting as the host organisation for the UK's National Release Centre. IHTSDO's management board chair is Professor Martin Severs.

The group has assumed responsibility for the maintenance, development, quality assurance, and distribution of SNOMED CT with former owners, the College of American Pathologists (CAP) continuing to support the standards development organisation (SDO) operations under an initial three year contract.