OPCS-4

The Office of Population Censuses and Surveys Classification of Interventions and Procedures (OPCS-4) is produced and maintained by the Clinical Classifications Service, part of NHS England.

OPCS-4 is a classification used by clinical coders in the UK to translate operations, procedures and interventions performed during episodes of healthcare into alphanumeric codes which permit easy storage, retrieval and analysis of that data. Many complex operations require the assignment of multiple codes in a specific combination to fully describe the procedures that have been undertaken. OPCS-4 was first mandated for use in Wales 1987. Since then, it has been updated (see below).

Update History:

• 2023: OPCS-4.10 - Planned for implementation in Wales effective from 1^stApril 2023.

• 2020: OPCS-4.9 – implemented in Wales effective from 1^st April 2020.

• 2017: OPCS-4.8 – implemented in Wales effective from 1^st April 2017.

• 2014: OPCS-4.7 – implemented in Wales effective from 1^st April 2014.

• 2011: OPCS-4.6 – implemented in Wales effective from 1^st April 2011.

• 2009: OPCS-4.5 – implemented in Wales effective from 1^st April 2009.

• 2007: OPCS-4.4 – implemented in Wales effective from 1^st October 2007.

• 2006: OPCS-4.3 – implemented in Wales effective from 1^st April 2006.

• 1987: OPCS-4.2 – implemented in Wales effective from 1^st April 1987.

Supplementary Information:

The main body of OPCS-4 is two volume Tabular List and Alphabetical Index of Interventions and Procedures. These are supplemented by two registers updated on a yearly basis - the Chemotherapy Regimens and High Cost Drugs Lists, both available from TRUD, NHS England's Technology Reference data Update Distribution site.

Clinical coders, or users of OPCS-4 clinically coded data, may request changes to the OPCS-4 classification (e.g. to request a code for a new clinical procedure or operation). Such requests should be forwarded to NHS England via their Request Submission Portal website.