We define a return as any central collection of data from the NHS.

This includes:

• financial, workforce, activity and other information
• short-term and one-off requests
• voluntary and sample surveys
• exception reporting
• collections commissioned from academic, commercial and other external agencies
• electronic, telephone and paper returns.

Requests for the collection of data may come from any organisation including:

• Department of Health and its Arm's Length Bodies (ALBs)
• Other Government Departments (OGDs)
• The private sector
• Professional bodies.