The Demographics Batch Service (DBS) is a mechanism that allows NHS and other organisaitons to submit a file of patient information to the Spine for tracing against the Personal Demographics Service (PDS). This is a replacement for NSTS batch trace and PKI services.

Migration Analysis Cleansing Service (MACS)

Additional Cleansing and Analysis Service for NHS Organisations

Due to the transfer of NHS Central Register to the NHS Information Centre the email address for MACS team has changed to HSCIC.MACS@nhs.net.

The Migration Analysis Cleansing Service continues to be available to the NHS for further tracing and analysis of previously unmatched records.

It is anticipated that running PAS data against the Migration Analysis Cleansing Service (MACS) will find some NHS numbers for records which have previously been difficult to match. The main benefit of the service is the analysis performed on the unmatched data which then is provided as reports.

Regular use of both the Demographics Batch Service (DBS) and Migration Analysis Cleansing Service in the migration preparation will ensure an organisation is best placed to achieve the standards laid out in the IQAP guidance on Active Patients.

The Migration Analysis Cleansing Services will return a file of patient demographic details with NHS numbers attached.

Due to the absence of temporary NHS numbers on NHS Central Register business systems, using this service will provide NHS organisations with the ability to submit previously unmatched records for further tracing and additional analysis.

Historically temporary NHS numbers did occur on local GP and primary care trust NHAIS systems when registering new patients whilst their details were verified via NHS Central Register. The implementation of Personal Demographics Service (PDS) has seen the end of allocation of temporary numbers (NHS staff only, N3 connection required), NHS numbers are now available at the point of registration.

Availability & Process

The Migration Analysis Cleansing Services will be made freely available to the NHS. NHS organisations will be given the opportunity as part of their existing data quality schedules to submit all un-numbered records in the same format as legacy batch files.

Following this the NHS Central Register will process the files of unnumbered records which will then be returned to the relevant NHS organisations for reload into their legacy PAS systems.

It should be noted that the Migration Analysis Cleansing Services are aimed at those units that have previously employed batch tracing.

Together IQAP and the MACS team developed a suite of analysis routines that will be run against the residual unmatched records on the output file to determine underlying data quality issues that are impacting on NHS number matching. This analysis will identify records that may be potential duplicates, data anomalies and thus should be rationalised or excluded from transfer.

The results of the analysis of unmatched records will be fed back to NHS organisations to support the development of an organisation specific data quality plan.

It is anticipated that the analysis will identify areas where basic registration processes could be improved. i.e. surname/forename management, default date of birth management and management of death notifications.

For further information please visit publications and then contact HSCIC.MACS@nhs.net directly to discuss when your organisation can make use of the Migration Analysis Cleansing Service.