NHS PDS Integration

We develop NHS PDS integrations that enable simple access to the national electronic database of patient details. This means GPs, pharmacies, consultants, commissioners and clinical staff can quickly identify patients, match up health records, and communicate with patients.

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6B can support your organisation through the process, from helping you to understand the feasibility of your NHS PDS integration and ensuring you have the secure network connections and access methods in place through to development and launch. The main purpose of PDS access is for primary care, although if there is a NHS approved basis for it, access can be granted for secondary care.

PDS Access Methods

6B carries out NHS PDS integration via one of two separate APIs.

PDS HL7 V3 API

This is the original method of integrating software with NHS PDS and requires a secure connection as well as a smartcard.

6B can aid organisations in searching for patient details, creating and receiving birth records and notifications and creating new patient records through this API.

Other data your organisation can access includes a patient’s registered GP, pharmacy records, consent information and next of kin.

6B will assist with your organisation’s valid use case to ensure a sound legal basis for integration with the NHS PDS.

This API is a mixture of synchronous and asynchronous interactions. Simple traces and retrievals that require an immediate response use the synchronous interaction, while advanced trace queries, general updates and birth notifications use the asynchronous pattern as they take longer or may not be as urgent as other requests.

6B utilises the MHS adaptor that provides easier connection to the NHS Spine service, while we also secure Health and Social Care Network access to use the API.

As part of the API onboarding process, 6B goes through the Common Assurance Process, which includes specifications and reports on scope, testing and deployment.

PDS FHIR API

This is a newer API to search for patients and update their details, as well as verifying NHS numbers.

Through this integration, there are three access modes: application-restricted access, healthcare worker access and patient access. 6B provides your organisation with different access modes depending on the type of end user authentication and functions required.

This RESTful API will give your organisation quick access to data and conforms to the FHIR global standard for healthcare data exchange.

6B will liaise with the NHS Digital team to ensure your organisation has network access that best suits your requirements, which may be via the Internet, the HSCN or through a smartcard.

Our developers will also carry out sandbox, integration and production testing to check how the integration works in various scenarios, ensuring the correct access and authorisations are in place.

For this API, 6B can assist with the completion of the Supplier Conformance Assessment List (SCAL), which must be completed as part of the onboarding process. This includes details of your case use, the access mode required, security patterns, risk management, incident management and penetration testing.

Why choose 6B for NHS eRS integration?

Experienced integration consultants – 6B develops smaller integrations for funded startups as well as larger integrations for public healthcare bodies

NHS integration expertise – Our NHS interface experience includes utilising open-source FHIR libraries and SDKs such as Smart on FHIR for easy, quick and secure integration with the healthcare systems

Security and compliance – 6B is ISO 27001 accredited, cyber essentials certified and experienced in processing patient information under HIPPA and CFR Part 11. Snomed CT, HL7 FHIR, openEHR, CDM, ODM and NHS Data Model are among our proficiencies for the categorisation of healthcare data

Ongoing support – From learning why your organisation needs to integrate with NHS PDS to following the onboarding process and reaching final access of data, 6B’s developers support your organisation through every stage of your NHS PDS integration.

Our Digital Health services

When it comes to healthcare, our skilled multi-disciplined team have successfully delivered projects for clients in the public and private sectors, ranging from complex system integrations to legacy system overhauls and everything in between.

NHS PDS Integration