NHSE SD
Version: 1.0.3 | Published: 1 Dec 2025 | Updated: 84 days ago

Automatic Identification and Data Capture for Patient Identification

Dataset
CONTACT

Summary

Reference Code:
DCB1077 Amd 67/2018
Type:
Information standards
Effective From:
31 December 2020
Applies To:
Health care settings in England where an identity band is worn by the patient.
Impacts On:
Implementation of this information standard impacts all health IT systems suppliers providing systems to the above providers; suppliers should work with their customers to determine necessary changes.
Conformance Date:
31 December 2021
Topics:
GS1
Care Settings:
  • Hospital
  • Maternity
  • Mental health
  • Social care
  • Urgent and Emergency Care
Publication Date:
26 March 2020

Contact Point

Contact Point:
healthcare@gs1uk.org

Documentation

Associated Media:
GS1 UK further guidance
Description:

This standard and the change introduced in this release may be used with immediate effect.

Where organisations choose to implement the changes introduced in this release, conformance with the standard is due by 31 December 2020. This standard defines how to encode the NHS approved patient identifiers into the GS1 DataMatrix barcode (a two-dimensional barcode) and covers production, verification and printing rules for the barcode. The resulting data set is the Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC) for Patient Identification Data Set.

This standard supports the accurate, timely and safer identification of NHS patients in England, by using open standards for positive patient identification. The standard uses ISB 0099: Patient Identifiers for Identity Bands and the GS1 System of Standards for code numbering and barcoding, which is outlined in ISB 0108: AIDC: Automatic Identification and Data Capture.

Note: this standard is not mandatory for providers, but where providers do choose to use barcoded patient identifiers, they MUST conform to this standard and ensure that all mandatory data items are configured accordingly.

About this change

This change to the standard brings it in line with existing GS1 standards by allowing:

  1. The new use of an SRIN (Service Relation Instance Number) which allows the episode of care to be included in the printed wristband
  2. The use of a GLN (Global Location Number) to identify the hospital where the wristband was printed in conjunction with ODS code and the local patient identifier, when the NHS Number is not available.
  3. In addition to the two new data items, the following existing data items were updated to align with the NHS Data Model and Dictionary:
  • ORGANISATION IDENTIFIER (CODE OF PROVIDER) is now between three to six alphanumeric characters and MANDATORY
  • LOCAL PATIENT IDENTIFIER (EXTENDED) is now up to 20 alphanumeric characters and MANDATORY

Where organisations choose to implement the changes introduced in this release, conformance with the standard is due by 31 December 2020.

Documentation Link:
https://digital.nhs.uk/data-and-information/information-standards/information-standards-and-data-collections-including-extractions/publications-and-notifications/standards-and-collections/isb-1077-aidc-for-patient-identification
Relations:
Name:
ISB 0099 Patient Identifiers for Identity Bands
Name:
ISB 0149 NHS Number Standard Specification
Name:
ISB 1555 Birth Notifications
Name:
DCB0129 Clinical Risk Management: its Application in the Manufacture of Health IT Systems
Name:
DCB0160 Clinical Risk Management: its Application in the Deployment and Use of Health IT Systems
Name:
ISBT 128 Identification, labelling & information processing of human blood, tissue & organ products
Name:
ISO/IEC 15415 Information technology; automatic identification and data capture techniques
Explanation:
This standard includes barcode print quality test specification; two-dimensional symbols.
Name:
ISO/IEC 15426-2 Information technology; automatic identification and data capture techniques
Explanation:
This includes barcode verifier conformance specification - Part 2: Two-dimensional symbols
Name:
ISO/IEC 16022 Information technology; automatic identification and data capture techniques
Explanation:
This includes Data Matrix barcode symbology specification.
Dependencies:
This standard needs to be reviewed and implemented alongside:
Name:
Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC)
Url:
https://standards.nhs.uk/published-standards/aidc-automatic-identification-and-data-capture

Review & Status

Sponsor:
Ian Townend, Lead Architect, Interoperability and Architecture, NHSX
Approval Date:
20 December 2019
Business Lead:
Paul Reid, Head of Standards and Consulting, GS1 UK
Post Implementation Review Date:
31 December 2021
Scope:
NHS Services
SRO:
Jo Goulding, Principal Terminology Specialist, NHS Digital
Technical Committee:
Data Co-ordination Board (DCB)
Dataset Identifier:
ce801119-4a1d-444f-933f-9e93714d4c12
Mandated:
Yes
Status:
active

Legal Authority 1

Legal Authority:
Section 250 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012
Legal Authority Description:
This information standard is published under section 250 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012

Origin

Name:
NHSE-SD Data Catalogue
URL:
https://sd-asc-ui-sd.metadata.works
Link:
https://sd-asc-ui-sd.metadata.works/browser/dataset/285151/0