Skip to main content
BETA A NHS service powered by standards. Feedbackopens in a new window will help us improve.

HIV and AIDS Reporting System

A data set that underpins national HIV surveillance.

Documentation

About this standard

Publisher
NHS England
Also known as
Also known as HARS.
Reference code
SCCI1570 (Amd 20/2015)
Publication date
31/10/2016
Status
Active
Show definitions of statuses

Active. Active standards are stable, maintained and have been approved, assured or endorsed for use by qualified bodies.

Deprecated Deprecated standards are available for use and are maintained, but are being phased out, so new functionality will not be added.

Retired standards Retired standards are not being maintained or supported and should not be used.

Standard type
  • Collections
  • Information standards
Show definitions of standard types

Collections. A Collection is a systematic gathering of a specified selection of data or information for a particular stated purpose from existing records held within health and care systems and electronic devices.

Extractions. An extraction is a type of collection that is pulled from an operational system by the data controller and transmitted to the receiver without additional processing or transcription by the sender.

Information standards. Information standards are agreed ways of doing something, written down as a set of precise criteria so they can be used as rules, guidelines, or definitions.

Technical Standards and specifications. Technical standards and specifications specify how to make information available technically including how the data is structured and transported.

Collection level

Record level

Frequency

Dataset publication or collection occurs every three months.

Contact point

Using this standard

Applies to
  • Staff working in HIV and GUM clinics that provide care to HIV outpatients
  • Scientific and public health staff working at Public Health England
  • Local authorities
  • Primary care trusts
  • Commissioners
  • Strategic health authority staff who plan services and manage performance
  • Department of Health staff who plan services and manage performance
Impacts on
Implementation of the change to this information standard impacts all health IT systems suppliers providing systems to the above providers; suppliers should work with their customers to determine and implement necessary changes.
Associated medias
Conformance date
31/03/2017
Effective from
01/11/2016

Topics and care settings

Topic
Data definitions and terminologies
Care setting
GP / Primary care
Dependencies

No known dependencies.

Related standards

No known related standards.

Review Information

Scope
Health Services, NHS Services, Local Authorities
Sponsor

Valerie Delpech, Head of National HIV surveillance, Public Health England

Senior Responsible Officer

Alison Brown, Principal Scientist, Public Health England

Business Lead
Cuong Chau, HIV Data Manager, HIV and AIDS, Public Health England
Approval date
28/09/2016
Post Implementation review Date
31/03/2018
Legal authority

Section 250 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012

This information standard is published under section 250 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012.

More information

The HIV and AIDS Reporting System (HARS) is a dataset that underpins national HIV surveillance. It is a quarterly reported patient level dataset capturing all HIV attendances in NHS funded outpatient services.

The HARS dataset is used to:

  • Inform the public health response and policy formulation for HIV in England.
  • Identify the groups at risk of HIV infection in England
  • Monitor the short and long term clinical outcomes of people living with HIV infection.
  • Monitor the effectiveness of the national policies and guidance.
  • Adapt and refine interventions, as appropriate.

Secondary analyses allow the production of aggregate outputs that are used to:

  • Directly support the commissioning of HIV services through collation of data.
  • Inform the national HIV outpatient tariff for payment by results.
  • Conduct performance management at the local authority and national level.

About this change

HIV is a rapidly evolving field and the changes included in this release are to ensure the dataset is up to date with the developments in diagnosis and treatment and remains fit for purpose.

The changes are categorised into 3 groups:

  1. Addition of new data items
  2. Amendment of existing data items
  3. Retirement of data items

Page last updated: 03 May 2024