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Submitting AKI laboratory data

Hospital laboratories in England are required to submit AKI warning test scores and accompanying patient information to the UK Renal Registry (UKRR). These submissions support national clinical audit, reporting and quality improvement.

How to submit

Reporting period

Submit data monthly for the previous full calendar month, based on the date the results were processed. Files should reach the UKRR before the end of the following month.

Files required

The collection comprises two files:

File Information required
AKI alerts One record for each AKI warning test score generated during the reporting period, including associated patient, laboratory and test information. A patient may have more than one alert.
Creatinine results Associated creatinine results before and after an AKI alert, supporting assessment of kidney function over time.

The collection includes creatinine results from the 15 months before and after an alert. Follow the dataset specification for the precise inclusion rules and reporting periods.

Include alerts even where information such as the source of the request is unavailable. Contact the AKI data team if your laboratory system cannot supply a required field or file.

Secure transfer

Submit files using the secure transfer arrangements agreed with the UKRR AKI team. The submission guide describes the NHS.net email, encrypted email and SFTP options.

Contact ukrr.akiregistry@nhs.net before setting up a new submission route, requesting SFTP access or changing an existing arrangement.

Dataset specification and file preparation

The specification defines the required fields, field order, filenames, date formats and coding requirements for both files.

Check that your laboratory’s extract follows the agreed specification. Tell the AKI data team about any system limitations or differences that could affect how the information is interpreted.

Download the AKI data submission guide

Checking and correcting submissions

If there is a problem with your submission, the AKI data team aims to contact you within two weeks of receipt to explain the issue or any delay.

If you have not heard from the team within two weeks of submitting your files, you can assume they have been successfully validated and loaded.

If you identify an error, a missing reporting period or a problem with an extract, contact the AKI data team before sending replacement files. The team can advise on corrections and resubmission.

Data are published in the AKI data portal quarterly.

View the AKI data portal

AKI detection: background and implementation

The following documents explain the national approach to laboratory AKI detection and the implementation of AKI warning results:

Support with your submission

Contact the AKI Data Team for help with file preparation, submission arrangements, missing information or corrections.

Include your laboratory’s ODS code and the relevant reporting period when raising a query. Do not include patient-identifiable information in your initial enquiry. Patient data must be submitted using the secure transfer arrangements described in the submission guide.