The pathology information standards available include:
Development products will also be made available and conform to the IReS Terminology Product Development Lifecycle (external PDF).
SNOMED CT concepts that support the DAPB4101 Pathology and Laboratory Medicine Reporting Information Standard are included in the SNOMED CT UK Clinical Edition, in 3 reference sets:
NHS National Laboratory Medicine Catalogue
NHS UK Read Pathology Bounded Code List
PBCL Read Code to SNOMED Code Translation Table
The National Laboratory Medicine Catalogue is a catalogue of SNOMED CT coded laboratory medicine test requests intended for use by Pathology services and their users across the NHS, and is still under development under the ownership of the Royal College of Pathologists.
The status of the National Laboratory Medicine Catalogue is ‘Technology Preview’, as defined in the IReS Terminology Product Development Lifecycle (external PDF). This means that trial implementation is encouraged to evaluate utility and safety, and to identify possible design improvements. Full live deployment is not recommended and will be at the user's own risk, where such risk is permitted by other governance processes.
The catalogue has not been updated since April 2014. Implementations may have to change if the product design changes in light of experience. If the product is found to be only minimally used or useful, or unsafe, then NHS Digital as the UK National Release Centre for SNOMED CT is under no obligation to continue releasing this product.
Status: Technology Preview
The Pathology Bounded Code List (PBCL) was developed to provide a defined or bounded subset of Read codes for use in laboratory to GP messaging. Use of the PBCL ensures that there is common understanding by both sending and receiving clinicians of the laboratory investigations and results.
The PBCL continues to be supported following the final release of Read CTV3 in April 2018 but will only be updated on an ad hoc basis where there is an identified national need. Subscribers will be notified in advance of any changes.
Read important information on the retirement of Read Version 2 and Clinical Terms Version 3.