National Workforce Data Set
Specifies the data standards to be used for NHS workforce information, including the NHS occupation codes.
Contents
- Documentation
About this standard
- Publisher
- NHS England
- Also known as
- Also known as NWD.
- Reference code
- DAPB1067 Amd 2/2025
- Publication date
- 1 March 2025
- Publication version
- 3.6.0
- 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
- 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.
- Contact point
- Please state ‘National Workforce Data Set’ or ‘Workforce Data Standards’ in the subject line.
Using this standard
- Applies to
- NHS organisations
- Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)
- NHS England
- Other arms length bodies of the DHSC
- Independent sector providers of NHS funded health care
- Social enterprises providing NHS funded care
- Other third sector organisations
- Local Authorities and Social Care organisations where applicable
- Impacts on
- The changes will mostly impact administrative staff responsible for HR / Workforce / Finance information, but some of the changes will require validation of existing and future information from clinical managers regards members of their team, working in conjunction with their HR / Workforce / Finance colleagues. Implementation of this information standard impacts all health IT systems suppliers providing systems to the above providers; suppliers should work with their customers to determine necessary changes.
- Associated medias
- Conformance date
- 1 March 2026
- Effective from
- 1 March 2025
Topics and care settings
- Topic
- Data definitions and terminologies
- Demographics
- Reference data
- Workforce
- Care setting
- Community health
- Dentistry
- Hospital
- Maternity
- Mental health
- Urgent and Emergency Care
Dependencies and related standards
- Dependencies
No known dependencies.
- Related standards
Review Information
- Scope
- Health Services, NHS Services
- Sponsor
Stephen Balchin, Head of Workforce Information and Analysis, Department of Health and Social Care
- Senior Responsible Officer
Chris Roebuck, Deputy Director of Analysis - Clinical Outcomes and Indicators, NHS England
- Business Lead
- Alyson Whitmarsh, Lead Information Manager - WTE Data & Analytics, NHS England
- Approval date
- 18 February 2025
- Post Implementation review Date
- 1 March 2027
- Technical Committee
Data Alliance Partnership Board (DAPB)
Legal basis and endorsements
- 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 National Workforce Data Set (NWD) is a reference data standard containing standardised definitions to facilitate the capture of nationally consistent information relating to the NHS and wider healthcare workforce. NWD data items support a variety of workforce collections and are also embedded within HR/workforce IT systems, including the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) and NHS Jobs. The National Workforce Data Set has been updated to ensure that the NWD and Electronic Staff Record (ESR) remain aligned and best reflect the changing Health and Care workforce. Changes include: • Job Role – new value/change to existing value • Occupation Code – changes to existing values/retire a value • Area of Work – new values/changes to existing values • Fixed Term/Temporary Contract Reason – Changes to existing values/retire a value • inclusion of a new element relating to Socioeconomic Background Information at the request of the Secretary of State • Presentational / guidance updates to the NWD specification and guidance documents which do not materially impact the individual values described by the NWD.
Page last updated: 12 May 2025