Integrating With: GP Connect

GP Connect is a national service provided by NHS England to facilitate seamless data sharing with GP Practice systems (EMIS and SystmOne) for the purpose of providing direct patient care.

At 6B, we work to support organisations in developing and implementing GP Connect efficiently and effectively. If you are looking to integrate with GP Connect at your organisation, here’s a guide to help to introduce your team to the integration process.

Understanding GP Connect

GP Connect is an innovative service provided by NHS England allowing health and social care professionals to share, view, and act on patient information across different IT systems. This system ensures that patient care remains continuous and informed, even when providers use different platforms. It is essential to note that GP Connect is strictly for direct patient care and cannot be used for planning or research purposes.

To get started with understanding GP Connect, check out the NHS England website here: https://digital.nhs.uk/services/gp-connect.

Prerequisites for GP Connect Integration

To gain access to GP Connect, your organisation must comply with several requirements:

• Care Settings: GP Connect can be used in a variety of care settings but can only be used for the purpose of direct care, as per NHS England legal directions.
• NHS Digital Connection Agreement: Ensure compliance with the NHS Digital Connection Agreement and/or End User Acceptable Use Policy.
• National Data Sharing Arrangement (NDSA): Agree to the terms of the NDSA, which outlines the data sharing obligations.
• Assured IT Systems: Utilise an IT system assured by NHS England for GP Connect use.

The Role of the GP Connect Team

The GP Connect team at NHS England plays a crucial role in the integration process. They manage the GP Connect products, publish API specifications, provide clinical and technical assurance, and define onboarding processes. They also offer some local implementation support to help guide your GP Connect integration project to success.

GP Connect Provider and Consumer Organisations

Provider Organisations: Typically, GP practices act as provider organisations. They hold GP patient records and control the data shared via GP Connect. Provider functionalities include sharing appointment books and access records. At the time of writing this post, the two main GP systems in England are SystmOne and EMIS.

Consumer Organisations: Consumer organisations, such as NHS 111 services or other GP practices, or digital health innovators, view the shared patient records or make bookings on behalf of patients. It’s possible for an organisation to function both as a provider and a consumer, especially in extended access models.

GP Connect Consumer System Assurance

Consumer systems must undergo rigorous testing to comply with GP Connect specifications. The Supplier Conformance Activities List (SCAL) facilitates this process. Upon successful testing and compliance, a Technical Conformance Certificate is issued, confirming that the system is ready for deployment.

A crucial aspect of consumer system assurance and integrating GP Connect is maintaining compliance with the Clinical Risk Management Standard DCB0160. This ensures the clinical safety of the system. Each consumer organisation must appoint a Clinical Safety Officer to review and accept the clinical safety case report and hazard log.

GP Connect Onboarding Process

1. Prerequisites Check: Ensure your system meets the prerequisites for GP Connect assurance.
2. Express Interest: Contact NHS England with your use case to assess the suitability of your GP Connect API application.
3. Develop Specifications: Develop your system according to the GP Connect specifications, utilising available support materials and system demonstrators.
4. Testing: Test your system in the NHS England integration environment to ensure full compliance and integration.
5. Technical Conformance: Obtain a Technical Conformance Certificate upon approval of your SCAL.
6. First of Type (FoT) Process: Undergo an in-live assessment phase if required, focusing on clinical safety, information governance, and technical performance.
7. Deployment: Complete deployment activities including stakeholder communication, benefits realisation, user training, and troubleshooting.

Conclusion

Integrating with GP Connect can significantly enhance the quality and continuity of patient care by ensuring seamless data sharing across different IT systems.

At 6B, we are committed to supporting your organisation through this integration journey, providing the technical expertise and guidance necessary to meet NHS England’s stringent standards. By partnering with us, you can ensure a smooth and successful implementation of GP Connect in your digital health product.