It isn't a problem. What I was trying to do was give examples of the underlying data structures that was giving me the initial headache (but I forgot to show what comes after the headers that you cleverly deduced) The data structure is in the format 
Patient ID 1234
NAD 5678
Date Of Birth : 01/01/1965
Sex  : yes
Postcode  : BH78

(as you guessed)

Then goes on to the gubbins
20/08/2007,Erythrocyte sedimentation rate,,3 mm/h
20/08/2008,Total white blood count,,6.7 10*9/L
04/04/2007,Haemoglobin estimation 12.9 g/dL,,12.9 g/dL

[download]
From that I split the data to 3 files One is a csv of basic information (anonomysed, all done within an encrypted face and DPA registered) and a second file of identifier, valuename, value A third file gives a simple list of every test that the script has come accross( that's the keys bit of the code) So I need to save the identifier as I go along, and add it to the lines that start with a date. Sorry for not being clear in the first place. But the next step will be to restructre all of this anong the lines that you've taught me. Thanks once again.

In reply to Re^4: Code Critique by rhiridflaidd
in thread Code Critique by rhiridflaidd

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