Guidance and definitions for use of the NHS Safety Thermometer
| Age | |
| Collected in three age bands | Values: <18, 18–70, >70 |
| Gender | Values: male, female |
| Old pressure ulcers | |
| Old pressure ulcers developed within 72 hours (3 days) of admission to organisation. The category of the patient’s worst old pressure ulcers is recorded. | Values: none, cat 2, cat 3, cat 4 |
| New pressure ulcers | |
| New pressure ulcer developed 72 hours (3 days) or more after admission to organisation. The category of the patient’s worst new pressure ulcers is recorded. | Values: none, cat 2, cat 3, cat 4 |
| Patient falls | |
| Any fall that the patient has experienced within the previous 72 hours in a care setting (including home if the patient is on a district nursing case load) The severity of the fall is defined in accordance with the National Reporting and Learning System categories. | Values: none, no harm, low harm, moderate harm, severe harm, death |
| Catheters | |
| An indwelling urethral urinary catheter in place at any point in the last 72 hours Record the number of days that it has been in place. If the patient has not had indwelling urethral urinary catheter in place at any point in the last 72 hours, record no catheter. | Values: 1–28 days, 28+ days, days unknown, no catheter |
| UTIs (urinary tract infections) | |
| Any patient being treated for a UTI Record if the treatment started before the patient was admitted to your organisation (old) or after admission to your organisation (new). Treatment for a UTI is based on clinical notes, clinical judgement and patient feedback. | Values: no UTI, old UTI, new UTI |
| VTE (venous thromboembolism) assessments | |
| Is there a documented VTE risk assessment? | Values: no, yes, N/A |
| VTE prophylaxis | |
| If the patient is at risk, has VTE prophylaxis started? | Values: no, yes, N/A |
| VTE treatment | |
| If the patient is being treated for VTE, choose the type of VTE. Use old VTE where the patient had the VTE before admission. Use new VTE where the patient developed the VTE after admission. | Values: no VTE, old DVT (deep vein thrombosis), old PE (pulmonary embolism), old other, new DVT, new PE, new other |
N/A, not applicable.