diff --git a/DESCRIPTION b/DESCRIPTION
index fde05ce..be6ff8a 100644
--- a/DESCRIPTION
+++ b/DESCRIPTION
@@ -53,4 +53,4 @@ Language: en-GB
 LazyData: true
 Roxygen: list(markdown = TRUE, roclets = c("collate","namespace", "rd",
     "vignette" ))
-RoxygenNote: 7.2.3
+RoxygenNote: 7.3.2
diff --git a/R/read_slf.R b/R/read_slf.R
index 0b8bde6..6312cb2 100644
--- a/R/read_slf.R
+++ b/R/read_slf.R
@@ -53,15 +53,19 @@ read_slf <- function(
   # but the column wasn't selected we need to add it (and remove later)
   remove_partnership_var <- FALSE
   remove_recid_var <- FALSE
-  if (!is.null(col_select)) {
-    if (!is.null(partnerships) &
-      !("hscp2018" %in% col_select)) {
-      col_select <- c(col_select, "hscp2018")
+  if (!rlang::quo_is_null(rlang::enquo(col_select))) {
+    if (!is.null(partnerships) &&
+      stringr::str_detect(rlang::quo_text(rlang::enquo(col_select)),
+        stringr::coll("hscp2018"),
+        negate = TRUE
+      )) {
       remove_partnership_var <- TRUE
     }
-    if (!is.null(recids) & file_version == "episode" &
-      !("recid" %in% col_select)) {
-      col_select <- c(col_select, "recid")
+    if (!is.null(recids) && file_version == "episode" &&
+      stringr::str_detect(rlang::quo_text(rlang::enquo(col_select)),
+        stringr::coll("recid"),
+        negate = TRUE
+      )) {
       remove_recid_var <- TRUE
     }
   }
@@ -71,27 +75,48 @@ read_slf <- function(
     function(file_path) {
       slf_table <- arrow::read_parquet(
         file = file_path,
-        col_select = !!col_select,
+        col_select = {{ col_select }},
         as_data_frame = FALSE
       )
 
-      if (!is.null(recids)) {
+      if (!is.null(partnerships)) {
+        if (remove_partnership_var) {
+          slf_table <- cbind(
+            slf_table,
+            arrow::read_parquet(
+              file = file_path,
+              col_select = "hscp2018",
+              as_data_frame = FALSE
+            )
+          )
+        }
         slf_table <- dplyr::filter(
           slf_table,
-          .data$recid %in% recids
+          .data$hscp2018 %in% partnerships
         )
+        if (remove_partnership_var) {
+          slf_table <- dplyr::select(slf_table, -"hscp2018")
+        }
       }
-      if (!is.null(partnerships)) {
+
+      if (!is.null(recids)) {
+        if (remove_recid_var) {
+          slf_table <- cbind(
+            slf_table,
+            arrow::read_parquet(
+              file = file_path,
+              col_select = "recid",
+              as_data_frame = FALSE
+            )
+          )
+        }
         slf_table <- dplyr::filter(
           slf_table,
-          .data$hscp2018 %in% partnerships
+          .data$recid %in% recids
         )
-      }
-      if (remove_partnership_var) {
-        slf_table <- dplyr::select(slf_table, -"hscp2018")
-      }
-      if (remove_recid_var) {
-        slf_table <- dplyr::select(slf_table, -"recid")
+        if (remove_recid_var) {
+          slf_table <- dplyr::select(slf_table, -"recid")
+        }
       }
 
       return(slf_table)
@@ -149,7 +174,7 @@ read_slf_episode <- function(
   return(
     read_slf(
       year = year,
-      col_select = unique(col_select),
+      col_select = {{ col_select }},
       file_version = "episode",
       partnerships = unique(partnerships),
       recids = unique(recids),
@@ -193,7 +218,7 @@ read_slf_individual <- function(
   return(
     read_slf(
       year = year,
-      col_select = unique(col_select),
+      col_select = {{ col_select }},
       file_version = "individual",
       partnerships = unique(partnerships),
       as_data_frame = as_data_frame,
diff --git a/man/read_slf.Rd b/man/read_slf.Rd
index e772920..598356e 100644
--- a/man/read_slf.Rd
+++ b/man/read_slf.Rd
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ of columns, as used in \code{dplyr::select()}.}
 \item{columns}{\ifelse{html}{\href{https://lifecycle.r-lib.org/articles/stages.html#deprecated}{\figure{lifecycle-deprecated.svg}{options: alt='[Deprecated]'}}}{\strong{[Deprecated]}} \code{columns} is no
 longer used, use \code{col_select} instead.}
 
-\item{as_data_frame}{Should the function return a \code{data.frame} (default) or
+\item{as_data_frame}{Should the function return a \code{tibble} (default) or
 an Arrow \link[arrow]{Table}?}
 
 \item{partnerships}{Optional specify a partnership (hscp2018) or
diff --git a/man/read_slf_episode.Rd b/man/read_slf_episode.Rd
index d2b872b..5e316c7 100644
--- a/man/read_slf_episode.Rd
+++ b/man/read_slf_episode.Rd
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ partnerships to select.}
 
 \item{recids}{Optional specify a recid or recids to select.}
 
-\item{as_data_frame}{Should the function return a \code{data.frame} (default) or
+\item{as_data_frame}{Should the function return a \code{tibble} (default) or
 an Arrow \link[arrow]{Table}?}
 
 \item{dev}{\ifelse{html}{\href{https://lifecycle.r-lib.org/articles/stages.html#experimental}{\figure{lifecycle-experimental.svg}{options: alt='[Experimental]'}}}{\strong{[Experimental]}} Whether to get the file from
diff --git a/man/read_slf_individual.Rd b/man/read_slf_individual.Rd
index 455719b..d88e1e4 100644
--- a/man/read_slf_individual.Rd
+++ b/man/read_slf_individual.Rd
@@ -26,7 +26,7 @@ of columns, as used in \code{dplyr::select()}.}
 \item{partnerships}{Optional specify a partnership (hscp2018) or
 partnerships to select.}
 
-\item{as_data_frame}{Should the function return a \code{data.frame} (default) or
+\item{as_data_frame}{Should the function return a \code{tibble} (default) or
 an Arrow \link[arrow]{Table}?}
 
 \item{dev}{\ifelse{html}{\href{https://lifecycle.r-lib.org/articles/stages.html#experimental}{\figure{lifecycle-experimental.svg}{options: alt='[Experimental]'}}}{\strong{[Experimental]}} Whether to get the file from
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-multiple_years.R b/tests/testthat/test-multiple_years.R
index 03806b2..9a36295 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-multiple_years.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-multiple_years.R
@@ -8,7 +8,9 @@ test_that("read multiple years works for individual file", {
   indiv <- read_slf_individual(c("1718", "1819"),
     col_select = c("year", "anon_chi")
   ) %>%
-    dplyr::slice_sample(n = 100)
+    dplyr::group_by(year) %>%
+    dplyr::slice_sample(n = 50) %>%
+    dplyr::ungroup()
 
   # Test for anything odd
   expect_s3_class(indiv, "tbl_df")
@@ -34,7 +36,9 @@ test_that("read multiple years works for episode file", {
   ep <- read_slf_episode(c("1718", "1819"),
     col_select = c("year", "anon_chi")
   ) %>%
-    dplyr::slice_sample(n = 100)
+    dplyr::group_by(year) %>%
+    dplyr::slice_sample(n = 50) %>%
+    dplyr::ungroup()
 
   # Test for anything odd
   expect_s3_class(ep, "tbl_df")
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-read_slf_episode.R b/tests/testthat/test-read_slf_episode.R
index a382d8e..82f27bd 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-read_slf_episode.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-read_slf_episode.R
@@ -30,6 +30,6 @@ for (year in years) {
 
   test_that("Episode file has the expected number of variables", {
     # Test for correct number of variables (will need updating)
-    expect_length(ep_file, 241)
+    expect_length(ep_file, 251)
   })
 }
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-read_slf_individual.R b/tests/testthat/test-read_slf_individual.R
index 38546f9..be9341e 100644
--- a/tests/testthat/test-read_slf_individual.R
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-read_slf_individual.R
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ test_that("Reads individual file correctly", {
     expect_equal(nrow(indiv_file), 100)
 
     # Test for correct number of variables (will need updating)
-    expect_length(indiv_file, 180)
+    expect_length(indiv_file, 193)
   }
 })
 
diff --git a/tests/testthat/test-tidyselect_columns.R b/tests/testthat/test-tidyselect_columns.R
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..f85fdc7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/tests/testthat/test-tidyselect_columns.R
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+skip_on_ci()
+
+
+test_that("tidyselect helpers work for column selection in the episode file", {
+  expect_named(
+    read_slf_episode("1920", col_select = dplyr::starts_with("dd")),
+    c("dd_responsible_lca", "dd_quality")
+  )
+  expect_named(
+    read_slf_episode("1920", col_select = c("year", dplyr::starts_with("dd"))),
+    c("year", "dd_responsible_lca", "dd_quality")
+  )
+  expect_named(
+    read_slf_episode("1920", col_select = !dplyr::matches("[aeiou]"))
+  )
+})
+
+test_that("col_select works when columns are added", {
+  expect_named(
+    read_slf_episode("1920", col_select = "year", recids = "DD"),
+    "year"
+  )
+  expect_named(
+    read_slf_episode("1920", col_select = "year", partnerships = "S37000001"),
+    "year"
+  )
+  expect_named(
+    read_slf_episode(
+      "1920",
+      col_select = c("year", dplyr::contains("dd")),
+      recids = "DD"
+    )
+  )
+  expect_named(
+    read_slf_episode(
+      "1920",
+      col_select = c("year", dplyr::contains("cij")),
+      partnerships = "S37000001"
+    )
+  )
+})
+
+test_that("tidyselect helpers work for column selection in the individual file", {
+  expect_named(
+    read_slf_individual("1920", col_select = dplyr::starts_with("dd")),
+    c("dd_noncode9_episodes", "dd_noncode9_beddays", "dd_code9_episodes", "dd_code9_beddays")
+  )
+  expect_named(
+    read_slf_individual("1920", col_select = c("year", dplyr::starts_with("dd"))),
+    c("year", "dd_noncode9_episodes", "dd_noncode9_beddays", "dd_code9_episodes", "dd_code9_beddays")
+  )
+  expect_named(
+    read_slf_individual("1920", col_select = !dplyr::matches("[aeiou]"))
+  )
+})