6B partners with digital health startups, scale-ups, and established healthcare organisations to develop and deliver robust IM1 Pairing integrations with EMIS, SystmOne, and Medicus – enabling secure access to patient data from foundation primary care systems in England.
Get in touchWhether you're developing a new digital health product or extending an existing solution with NHS IM1 integration, Whether you're developing a new digital health product or extending an existing solution with
Whether you’re building a patient-facing app, a clinical support tool, or a data-driven healthcare platform, we guide your product through every stage of the IM1 journey – from SCAL preparation to development, testing, assurance, and live rollout. With 6B, your IM1 integration will be secure, standards-compliant, and ready to deliver measurable impact.
IM1 Pairing enables third-party systems to integrate with GP clinical systems to read and write patient information. This includes the ability to retrieve structured data, extract bulk datasets, and submit new clinical entries to patient records.
6B supports IM1 integrations with EMIS, SystmOne, and Medicus which are the primary suppliers of foundation systems in England. While Vision historically supported IM1, it has recently announced its exit from the English market.
By integrating via IM1, your solution can provide direct value at the point of care – improving decision-making, reducing manual tasks, and enabling safer and more effective patient journeys.
We manage your IM1 integration from start to finish, working collaboratively with your team and liaising directly with NHS England, EMIS, SystmOne, or Medicus, and other relevant stakeholders to ensure a smooth path to go-live.
The Supplier Conformance Assessment List (SCAL) is the gateway to IM1. 6B helps you frame your SCAL submission for success – clearly articulating your product’s use cases, technical approach, and security posture. We advise on the correct APIs to target and ensure your submission aligns with both supplier and NHS England expectations.
Once SCAL stage one is approved, you receive access to the Pairing and Integration Pack (PIP) and the unsupported test environment. Our development team then builds your integration to supplier specifications, ensuring early-stage functionality meets your project goals and aligns with clinical safety standards.
After development, your integration is tested in a supported environment, including formal witness testing by the supplier and NHS England. 6B manages the technical process and documentation, completing all required test evidence and updating the SCAL for full assurance. Once assurance is granted, you’ll receive your Recommendation to Connect Notice (RTCN).
After receiving your RTCN, your Model Interface Licence (MIL) is uplifted and your integration moves into the live environment. 6B remains engaged post-launch to support change requests, incident resolution, and technical enhancements – ensuring your IM1 integration continues to evolve with your product and the wider NHS tech ecosystem.
NHS IM1 Pairing Integration allows third-party healthcare systems to securely interface with GP clinical systems such as EMIS Web, SystmOne, and Medicus via standardised APIs. Through this integration, solutions can read patient data, extract structured datasets in bulk, and write clinical information directly into the GP record. As part of the Digital Care Services Framework, all foundation system providers are required to offer an interface mechanism for pairing – enabling seamless interoperability with clinical support tools, patient apps, appointment systems, and more. IM1 integration is governed by a structured onboarding process including SCAL submission, technical development, assurance testing, and Model Interface Licence execution.
Proven IM1 specialists – Our team has delivered numerous IM1 integrations across EMIS, SystmOne, Medicus, and (historically) Vision, giving us deep insight into supplier documentation, APIs, and onboarding processes.
Cross-sector experience – We’ve supported IM1 integrations for startups, scale-ups, NHS Trusts, ICBs, and large enterprise organisations – across primary, community, and mental health care.
Comprehensive API knowledge – We work with the full range of IM1 and supplier APIs including EMIS Health Extraction IM, Transaction IM, PFS API, and SystmOne Client, Bulk, Generic HTML, PFS and Telephony APIs.
Security-first delivery – We design and develop integrations with privacy, resilience, and NHS data governance in mind – aligned with standards such as DCB0129/0160 and NHS England assurance models.
Ongoing support and flexibility – From SCAL updates to post-go-live enhancements, we provide long-term technical partnership to help your integration evolve with the market and meet changing NHS demands.
Ensuring the security and compliance of patient data is a fundamental aspect of the IM1 integration process.
The NHS mandates strict adherence to data protection and privacy standards to safeguard sensitive patient information including GDPR, NHS DTAC, NHS DSPT, and relevant NHS Data Coordination Board (DCB) standards.
At 6B, we are certified with ISO 27001, NHS DSPT, and Cyber Essentials, and as such we prioritise security at every stage of the IM1 integration process. Our team ensures that your digital health product complies with all relevant NHS England standards, including data encryption, access controls, and regular security audits. By doing so, we help you maintain the highest levels of data protection and patient confidentiality, which are crucial for building trust and reliability in your IM1 integrated digital health solutions.
Integrating your digital health product with primary care systems through IM1 offers numerous benefits for both healthcare providers and patients.
IM1 integration facilitates seamless access to patient records, enabling healthcare professionals to make informed decisions quickly and accurately. It also streamlines administrative processes, reducing the time and effort required for data entry and management.
For patients, IM1 integration means more coordinated and efficient care, as their health information is readily available to all relevant providers. Additionally, IM1 integration supports innovative digital health solutions that can enhance patient engagement, improve outcomes, and drive efficiencies across the healthcare system.
At 6B, we provide an end-to-end IM1 integration service for digital health products, facilitating seamless integration with primary care systems like EMIS, SystmOne, and Medicus. Our process includes development, witness testing, implementation, and launch, ensuring compliance with the latest legislation and standards. We work closely with your team and liaise with NHS England and system providers to ensure a fast and efficient integration process.
6B supports you in completing and submitting the SCAL, a crucial step before pairing with IM1. We help frame your application’s clinical use cases and technical details to maximise the approval of your product’s functions. Our team leverages extensive experience and technical knowledge to ensure your application meets the compatibility requirements of EMIS, SystmOne, Medicus, or Vision APIs.
The key stages in the IM1 integration process with 6B include:
IM1 pairing integration allows separate systems to read patient information, extract data in bulk, and enter data into the patient record system. This integration supports seamless communication between your digital health product and primary care systems like EMIS, SystmOne, Medicus, and Vision. By leveraging the interface mechanisms provided by these systems, 6B ensures that your digital health solution can effectively access and utilise patient data to improve healthcare delivery and patient outcomes.
Currently, NHS England reports there are no plans to decommission the IM1 interface. While the long-term future of IM1 is being considered, and alternative options may emerge, there are no confirmed plans or timelines for its replacement. 6B continues to offer robust support for IM1 integration, ensuring your digital health solution remain compliant and effective. For any updates or more information, you can contact the IM1 team at NHS England: https://digital.nhs.uk/services/gp-it-futures-systems/im1-pairing-integration.
The IM1 interface mechanism supports three primary types of data exchange between systems: reading patient information, extracting information in bulk, and entering data into the clinical system. These functionalities enable seamless integration and data flow between your digital health product and principal clinical systems like EMIS, SystmOne, Medicus, and Vision. 6B ensures that your integration process fully leverages these capabilities, adhering to IM1 standards and facilitating efficient data exchange to enhance healthcare delivery.
