Figure 1
From: The SAIL databank: linking multiple health and social care datasets
The matching process conducted via the MACRAL algorithm. Firstly, records found to have a valid NHS number are accepted. The Matching Algorithm for Consistent Results in Anonymised Linkage (MACRAL) begins with DRL for exact matching on the set of five variables. Following from this, the remaining unmatched records are subjected to PRL methods down to the 50% threshold. Datasets from non-NHS organisations enter the process at DRL.