Why might a record not have an NHS number on NSTS?
When a patient registers with a GP, a series of communications follows between the GP Practice, the PCT responsible for the local Exeter NHAIS system and NHS Central Register. This usually results in one of two outcomes: • The patient is matched to an existing record and associated with that record’s NHS number • The patient is found not to match with any existing record and is allocated a new NHS number This process usually takes somewhere between a few days and a few weeks, and whilst it is ongoing there will be a record for the patient on NSTS without an NHS number. (Where the NHS number normally appears the word “UNALLOCATED” will show, and it will be possible to view the detail of the record by clicking on this word in the same way that records with NHS numbers can be viewed by clicking on the number). Once the process is complete, the record will show an NHS number Occasionally, there is a third outcome: • There is an existing record identified that closely but not exactly matche
