README file About the data set * TITLE: Mapping NHS patient choice policies across England: Referral data to NHS and private providers, June 2008 – March 2024 * DATASET CREATORS: Dr Mary Guy (LJMU, ORCID 0000-0003-0242-6366) and Lee Newcombe (LJMU) * Creators’ affiliations: LJMU * Rights holder for the dataset: Dr Mary Guy * Year of publication: 2025. Description This dataset comprises publicly-available NHS information about GP and other practitioner referrals of NHS patients for a first outpatient appointment with either an NHS or a private provider during the period June 2008 and March 2024. It is made up from publicly-available NHS data from the Monthly Activity Return (MAR) which was in operation June 2008 – March 2020, and the Monthly Referral Return (MRR) which was in operation June 2020 – March 2024. The MRR dataset focuses on GP and other practitioner referrals of NHS patients for a first outpatient appointment with either an NHS or a private provider, so is replicated in full with distinctions highlighted between NHS and private providers. The MAR data collection was broader, so has been edited to focus on GP and other practitioner referrals of NHS patients for a first outpatient appointment with either an NHS or a private provider. Again, distinctions between NHS and private providers are highlighted. The dataset should be cited as follows: Mary Guy, Lee Newcombe, “Mapping NHS patient choice policies across England: Referral data to NHS and private providers, June 2008 – March 2024” [DOI to be added] This dataset is analysed in an article currently submitted to the Liverpool Law Review. Contact details * PI email: M.J.Guy@ljmu.ac.uk Terms of use How to Cite https://doi.org/10.24377/LJMU.d.00000242 Guy, Mary and Newcombe, Lee (2025) Mapping NHS patient choice policies across England: Referral data to NHS and private providers, June 2008 – March 2024. [Data Collection] Project and funding information Title: How is ‘going private’ evolving with COVID-19? 1 September 2023 – 30 June 2024 Funded by a LJMU QRPSF award Contents 6 x Excel workbooks (.xlsx) comprising data taken from the NHS Monthly Activity Return (MAR) datasets relating to referrals by GPs and other practitioners to NHS and private providers (the latter highlighted in blue) across NHS Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs), June 2008 – June 2012. - East of England referrals 2008-2012 - London referrals 2008-2012 - Midlands referrals 2008-2012 - North of England referrals 2008-2012 - South of England referrals 2008-2012 - Yorkshire and The Humber referrals 2008-2012 4 x Excel workbooks (.xlsx) comprising data taken from the NHS Monthly Activity Return (MAR) datasets relating to referrals by GPs and other practitioners to NHS and private providers (the latter highlighted in blue) across NHS commissioning regions, June 2013 – June 2018. - London referrals 2013-2018 - Midlands and East of England referrals 2013-2018 - South of England referrals 2013-2018 - North of England referrals 2013-2018 Excel workbook (.xlsx) - June 2018 referrals overview MAR - national overview from the MAR dataset which could not be disaggregated. Excel workbook (.xlsx) – Spire and ISTC referral overviews_2008-2018 - Referrals by NHS commissioning bodies to Spire and Independent Treatment Centres (ISTCs) – data taken from the NHS Monthly Activity Return (MAR) datasets relating to referrals by GPs and other practitioners. 7 x Excel workbooks (.xlsx) comprising data taken from the NHS Monthly Referral Return (MRR) datasets relating to referrals by GPs and other practitioners to NHS and private providers across NHS commissioning regions, June 2020 – March 2024. - London referrals 2020-2024 - South West referrals 2020-2024 - South East referrals 2020-2024 - Midlands referrals 2020-2024 - East of England referrals 2020-2024 - North West referrals 2020-2024 - North East and Yorkshire referrals 2020-2024 Excel workbook (.xlsx) - June 2019 national overview - Referrals by NHS commissioning bodies to NHS and private providers – data taken from the NHS Monthly Referral Return (MRR) datasets relating to referrals by GPs and other practitioners. Excel workbook (.xlsx) - March 2024 national overview - Referrals by NHS commissioning bodies to NHS and private providers – data taken from the NHS Monthly Referral Return (MRR) datasets relating to referrals by GPs and other practitioners. Methods The focus of the project is to outline the contours of the private healthcare market as it exists for NHS patients (as distinct from private patients) by reference to NHS patient choice policy which enables NHS patients to choose a private or an NHS provider for their first outpatient appointment. The dataset was generated by identifying relevant data from the NHS Monthly Activity Return (MAR) and NHS Monthly Referral Return (MRR) datasets. These are publicly-available data sources: https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/hospital-activity/monthly-hospital-activity/mar-data/ and https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/statistical-work-areas/outpatient-referrals/mrr-data/. NHS England (formerly NHS Digital) confirmed that as the data is already published, it can be used, but the sources should be cited. The above weblinks have been added into each of the 21 Excel workbooks, and will be cited alongside this dataset in the associated article. The MAR dataset (in operation between June 2008 and March 2020) contains a wide variety of hospital data, so data relating to general and acute referrals by GPs and other practitioners was extracted. The MRR dataset (in operation between June 2020 and March 2024) focuses on GP and other practitioner referrals with regard to a first outpatient appointment. 2025