PDS Tracing

NRL systems MUST be capable of performing Personal Demographic Service (PDS) tracing of patients to obtain their NHS Number.

Systems MUST perform this tracing using one of the following three options:

1. Full PDS Spine compliant system (PDS)

NRL systems MAY follow the guiding principles of how systems should integrate with PDS. This describes in particular the principles governing how systems should synchronise with PDS as the master repository of demographics data to ensure local system data does not become stale.

There is a very limited risk that the consumer-traced NHS number pre-dates a patient record status change to sensitive Flag (S-Flag) immediately prior to use.

2. Spine Mini Service PDS (SMSP)

NRL systems MAY utilise the Spine Mini Service Provider for PDS (SMSP) as a lighter weight alternative to integrating with the full Spine Personal Demographic Service (PDS).

3. Demographics Batch Service (DBS)

NRL Provider systems MAY utilise the Demographics Batch Service (DBS) to perform batch PDS Tracing.

The suitability of the use of DBS to perform batch PDS tracing would be assessed as part of the Consumer Accreditation process.

This option is for Provider systems only. Consumers performing a search operation MUST use either option 1 or 2 as described above.