Reducing Data Burden in NACEL 2026

As we launch the National Audit of Care at the End of Life (NACEL) 2026, we are pleased to share a series of important changes designed to reduce the data burden on clinical and audit teams. 

We recognise that participation in national audits requires significant time and effort, often from busy clinical staff. Reducing this burden is vital to ensure that teams can focus on delivering and improving care, while still contributing to the national picture of end-of-life care quality. 

Our Data Burden Reduction Strategy 
For NACEL 2026, we have taken targeted steps to simplify data collection and make participation more efficient, without compromising the quality of the findings: 

• Smaller data collections 

  • Case Note Review: reduced from 54 to 40 questions. 

  • Bereavement Survey: reduced from 31 to 18 questions. 
    This streamlining focuses on the most impactful measures, reducing time required for data entry. 

• Greater flexibility in the Bereavement Survey 
  New options make it easier for providers to upload responses, improving efficiency and accessibility for local teams. 

• Temporary pause of the Hospital Site Overview 
  Data collection for the Hospital Site Overview has been paused for 2026. This component will be reintroduced in 2027, following review and refinement to ensure it delivers maximum value. 

• Piloting SNOMED codes for data guidance 
  We are piloting the use of SNOMED codes to align NACEL data collection with NHS digital standards. This will promote consistent, automated data recording and reduce the need for clinicians to manually interpret or enter information. Over time, it will enable greater use of business intelligence teams to extract and submit data, easing the workload on frontline clinical staff. 

• Clearer questions and guidance 
  We have removed ambiguity from several questions and updated guidance to make expectations clearer and reduce time spent seeking clarification. 
  

Why This Matters 
Reducing data burden is an essential step in ensuring that NACEL continues to deliver meaningful insights without adding unnecessary pressure to clinical and audit staff. These improvements: 

• Support sustainable participation across services. 

• Enable teams to focus on quality improvement rather than administration. 

• Enhance data quality through clearer, more targeted questions. 
  

We are grateful to all those who provided feedback and helped shape these changes. Your input continues to guide NACEL’s development and ensures the audit remains relevant, practical, and supportive of high-quality care for people at the end of life.