CODE 1   Emergency presentation

Where a patient presents to the emergency department for an actual or suspected condition which is sufficiently serious to require acute unscheduled care. This includes patients awaiting transit to another facility who receive clinical care in the emergency department, and patients for whom resuscitation is attempted.

Exclusion: Where patients are awaiting transit to another facility and do not receive clinical care in the emergency department, the patient should not be recorded.

CODE 2   Return visit, planned

Where a patient presents to the emergency department for a return visit, as a result of a previous emergency department presentation (Code 1) or return visit (Code 2). The return visit may be for planned follow-up treatment, as a consequence of test results becoming available indicating the need for further treatment, or as a result of a care plan initiated at discharge.

Exclusion: Where a visit follows general advice to return if feeling unwell, this should not be recorded as a planned visit.

CODE 3   Pre-arranged admission

Where a patient presents to the emergency department for an admission to either a non-emergency department ward or other admitted patient care unit that has been arranged prior to the patient's arrival, and the patient receives clinical care in the emergency department.

Exclusion: Where a patient presents for a pre-arranged admission and only clerical services are provided by the emergency department, the patient should not be recorded.

CODE 5   Dead on arrival

This code should only be used for patients who are dead on arrival and an emergency department clinician certifies the death of the patient. This includes where the clinician certifies the death outside the emergency department (e.g. in an ambulance outside the emergency department).

Exclusion: Where resuscitation of the patient is attempted, this should be recorded as an emergency presentation (Code 1).

Note: Where Code 5 is recorded for a patient, an Episode end status Code 7 (Dead on arrival) should also be recorded.