NHS Number Interim Guidance for Care Settings not yet covered by an NHS Number Standard

This section of the website gives guidance for those care settings where there is currently no NHS Number Standard. The information is for those organisations already using, or wanting to use, the NHS Number. It is important to note, however, that this is generic information and will be subject to change following the publication of a specific NHS Number Standard for each care setting.

General Principles

The general principles of the NHS Number Standards are:

Find It - find the NHS Number for a person as soon as possible in the care pathway, ideally on initial contact with the service.

Use It -   use the NHS Number to link a person to their care record; use the NHS Number to search for an electronic record; use the NHS Number on wristbands, documents and reports used for the care of the person.

Share It - share the NHS Number with other organisations so they can use it; include the NHS Number on all correspondence and electronic messages.

Preparations

For those organisations wanting to use, or improve the use of, the NHS Number there are some things that can be done prior to the publication of the relevant Standard:

Technology

If you have not already got an N3 connection then it is advised that you establish one for your organisation.

If your local systems do not currently have the capability of holding the NHS Number you should approach your supplier. Local systems will need to be able to store the NHS Number and its verification status (see Frequently Asked Questions for staff (PDF, 600 Kb) for more details).

Awareness

Staff training and awareness about the importance of the NHS Number is a useful preparatory exercise. Communication materials to assist with this work are available for download or to order. Staff readiness around the importance of using the NHS Number should be developed before carrying out a public campaign, however informing the public about their NHS Number is recommended wherever possible.

Updating records with NHS Numbers

If you wish to update your records with NHS Numbers please read the Frequently Asked Questions for staff (PDF, 600 Kb) to understand the background and process for finding NHS Numbers.

Frequently Asked Questions

If you have a question related to NHS Number please read the Frequently Asked Questions for staff (PDF, 600 Kb) which contains most common questions. After reviewing the FAQ document, if you do not find the answer to your question please contact nhsnumber@nhs.net for further help