The NHS Number survey

Overview

Welcome to the NHS Number web survey

The NHS Number for the sharing of information for direct care is vital to successful integrated care. It is the unique number assigned to every registered NHS patient that enables healthcare staff and service providers to match patients to their individual health records. View more information.

The use of the NHS Number as the primary identifier in clinical correspondence is both a key criteria for Technology Fund applications and reflected in the NHS Standard Contract for 2014-15 - “the provider must use the NHS Number as the primary (main) identifier in all clinical correspondence”.

To understand how Trusts are progressing against these commitments in order to target support, NHS England is looking to all NHS Acute, Ambulance, Community and Mental Health Trusts in England to complete the survey by submitting a single Trust-wide response. Consequently, a response is required from every trust. This will enable us to create a comprehensive picture of the uptake and use of the NHS Number by Trusts across England where care crosses organisations.

The intention is to measure the use of the NHS Number in clinical correspondence where care crosses organisations so when completing the survey please answer only with reference to external (to the organisation) clinical correspondence (electronic and paper).

We then intend to provide tailored support within each region, through our Strategic Systems & Technology regional leads, to assist Trusts to achieve full implementation.

Thank you for completing the survey