By embedding NCRS access directly into your clinical system, 6B helps you provide seamless, context-aware access to national records such as Summary Care Record, Child Protection Information Sharing, and the National Record Locator. Our team guides you through onboarding, assurance, and deployment to ensure your NCRS integration is compliant, reliable, and ready for real-world use.
What is the National Care Records Service?
The National Care Records Service is a national NHS service that allows authorised health and social care professionals to view and update key patient and safeguarding information at the point of care. NCRS brings together access to multiple national services through a single, Spine-connected interface, supporting safer decision-making across organisational boundaries.
Services available through NCRS include:
- Personal Demographics Service (PDS)
- Summary Care Record (SCR)
- Child Protection – Information Sharing (CP-IS)
- Reasonable Adjustment Flag
- National Record Locator (NRL)
- Female Genital Mutilation – Information Sharing (FGM IS)
- Vaccination and selected public health records
NCRS replaces and extends the former 1-Click Service, providing a more complete and integrated user experience for frontline staff.
Understanding NCRS Integration
NCRS integration is a user interface integration, not a traditional API integration. Point-of-care applications launch NCRS via a secure deep link that opens in a new browser window and automatically displays the relevant patient record using the patient’s NHS number.
Users authenticate to NCRS using standard NHS identity controls, including smartcard (CIS1) or modern authentication (CIS2), with Role Based Access Control applied through the Care Identity Service. NCRS does not store patient data within your application; it provides secure, real-time access to national records while maintaining NHS governance and privacy controls.
Our NCRS Integration Process
6B delivers NCRS integrations through a structured, assurance-led approach that aligns with NHS onboarding requirements.
Feasibility and scoping
We begin by confirming whether NCRS integration is appropriate for your product and use cases. Working with clinical and operational stakeholders, we define how NCRS will be accessed within existing workflows and which national services will be used.
Solution design and user journey mapping
Our team designs the deep-link launch and user experience, ensuring NCRS is opened in context and aligns with local clinical processes such as emergency care, community visits, or safeguarding checks.
Development and authentication configuration
We support the technical build required to launch NCRS securely, including Spine connectivity prerequisites, browser configuration, and alignment with Care Identity Service authentication models.
Testing and assurance
6B supports testing against NHS requirements using supplied test scripts and scenarios. We guide you through the Supplier Conformance Assessment List (SCAL) process and ensure clinical safety, information governance, and security requirements are met.
Go live and ongoing support
Once approved, we support your transition to live, including rollout planning, training considerations, and post-deployment support. We remain available to assist with updates, change requests, and assurance renewals as NCRS evolves.
Benefits of NCRS Integration
Integrating NCRS allows clinicians to access a wide range of national patient records quickly, without leaving their primary system. This improves patient safety, particularly in urgent, unscheduled, or cross-organisational care settings where timely information is critical.
It reduces workflow disruption by eliminating the need for separate logins or standalone applications, helping clinicians spend less time searching for information and more time delivering care.
For system suppliers and digital health organisations, NCRS integration provides a pragmatic route to national interoperability. It supports NHS procurement readiness, demonstrates alignment with national services, and complements deeper API-based integrations such as SCR API or GP Connect where required.
Why Choose 6B for NHS National Care Records Service Integration?
We have hands-on experience delivering NCRS integrations for NHS-facing systems across acute, community, and specialist care settings.
6B understands the unique nature of NCRS as a UI-based, Spine-authenticated service and designs integrations that are simple for users while remaining fully compliant with NHS requirements.
We manage the end-to-end onboarding process, including SCAL documentation, testing coordination, and engagement with NHS England teams.
Our approach is clinically informed – we work with frontline teams to ensure NCRS access supports real-world workflows such as emergency admissions, safeguarding checks, and multidisciplinary care.
Beyond go live, we provide long-term support for integration maintenance, assurance updates, and changes to national policy or service scope.
Estimate the Cost of Your NHS National Care Records Service Integration
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Want to speak to someone today? Call 6B on 0113 350 1290.
NHS National Care Records Service Integration FAQs
What is the difference between NCRS integration and an API integration?
What is the difference between NCRS integration and an API integration?
NCRS integration is a user interface (UI) integration rather than an API. Your system launches NCRS via a secure deep link, allowing clinicians to view national records in a separate window. No patient data is stored or exchanged directly with your application.
Which national services can be accessed through NCRS?
Which national services can be accessed through NCRS?
NCRS provides access to several national services, including Summary Care Record (SCR), Personal Demographics Service (PDS), Child Protection – Information Sharing (CP-IS), Reasonable Adjustment Flag, National Record Locator (NRL), and other safeguarding and public health records.
How are users authenticated when launching NCRS?
How are users authenticated when launching NCRS?
Users authenticate using standard NHS identity controls through the Care Identity Service. This includes smartcard authentication (CIS1) or modern authentication (CIS2), with Role Based Access Control applied based on the user’s assigned job role.
Does NCRS integration allow us to write data back into patient records?
Does NCRS integration allow us to write data back into patient records?
NCRS primarily provides read access to national records. Some services within NCRS support updating specific information, but this is managed within NCRS itself rather than through your local system or an API-based write-back.
Is Supplier Conformance Assessment List (SCAL) required for NCRS integration?
Is Supplier Conformance Assessment List (SCAL) required for NCRS integration?
Yes. All NCRS integrations must complete the SCAL onboarding process to ensure compliance with NHS security, clinical safety, and information governance requirements before connecting to live environments.
How long does it typically take to implement NCRS integration?
How long does it typically take to implement NCRS integration?
Timelines vary depending on system readiness, assurance complexity, and testing availability. Because NCRS is a UI-based integration, development effort is often lower than API-based integrations, but time should still be allocated for onboarding, testing, and approval.
What clinical safety and governance requirements apply to NCRS?
What clinical safety and governance requirements apply to NCRS?
Organisations must comply with NHS clinical safety standards (DCB0129/0160), appoint appropriate clinical safety and privacy roles, and ensure Permission to View and legitimate relationship principles are followed, particularly when accessing Summary Care Records.
Can NCRS integration be used alongside other NHS integrations?
Can NCRS integration be used alongside other NHS integrations?
Yes. NCRS integration is often used alongside services such as SCR API, GP Connect, and NHS CIS2. It can act as a complementary access route to national records, particularly where direct API integration is not appropriate or required.
Readiness checklist for NHS National Care Records Service Integration
- Define your NCRS use cases and identify which national services will be accessed (e.g. SCR, CP-IS, NRL).
- Confirm your organisation’s lawful basis and governance arrangements for accessing national patient records.
- Ensure staff roles and Role Based Access Control codes are in place within the Care Identity Service.
- Review clinical safety requirements and nominate a Clinical Safety Officer (DCB0129/0160).
- Prepare supporting documentation including DPIA, security policies, and user workflow descriptions.
- Plan access to NHS test environments and allocate time for SCAL onboarding and assurance testing.
- Consider training and change management needs, including SCR Permission to View and privacy officer responsibilities.
Speak To Our NHS National Care Records Service (NCRS) Integration Experts
Whether you're developing a new digital health product or extending an existing solution with NHS National Care Records Service (NCRS) integration, 6B brings the technical expertise, healthcare insight, and experience needed to accelerate delivery.
