Directory of Services - Urgent and Emergency Care - REST API

Use this API to access Directory of Services (DoS) information on a wide range of health and care services across England. 

You can search for services based on a combination of parameters: 

• the patient’s age, sex, and current location
• the patient’s clinical need

You can also search for services using similar parameters, such as by:

• service type - find matching service type ID, location and optional patient details
• clinical term - find matching symptoms, location and optional patient details
• ODS code - find active services with a matching ODS code
• service ID - find active services with a matching service identifier

This service is widely used in an Urgent and Emergency Care context.

It is not currently suitable for referrals from services using NHS Pathways outcomes, such as NHS 111 - for this, use the Directory of Services - Urgent and Emergency Care - SOAP API.

You need a valid DoS account to use this API.

This API can only be used where there is a legal basis to do so. Make sure you complete an access request form before you go too far with your development. See our acceptable use policy for more details.

You must have made this request before you can go live (see 'Onboarding' below).

The following APIs are related to this one:

• Directory of Services - Urgent and Emergency Care - SOAP API - use this SOAP API to access information on a wide range of health and care services across England
• EPS Directory of Services - REST API - use this to access information about dispensing services, including searching for dispensers who can provide services for a patient with a given location and urgency
• Electronic Transmission of Prescriptions Web Services - SOAP API - use this to access EPS dispenser (and dispensing appliance contractor) information for a patient via NHS UK Web Services
• e-Referral Services - A010 Patient service search endpoint - use this endpoint to find services that meet the referral needs of a patient
• NHS UK service search - use this to search for services by organisation, or organisation type

This API is in production.

This API is a gold service, meaning it is operational and supported 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

For more details, see service levels.

This API is a REST API.

For more details, see Basic REST.

We also have a Directory of Services - Urgent and Emergency Care - SOAP API available.

This API is available on the internet and, indirectly, on the Health and Social Care Network (HSCN).

For more details, see Network access for APIs.

You need a valid DoS account to use this API.

This API uses HTTP basic authentication. We use authentication to track API usage and to control which information is returned to a search.

HTTP basic authentication is built in to all HTTP clients and requires the Authorization request header with the DoS username and password colon delimited and base64 encoded.

For details of testing and production (live) environments, see Environments Overview.

You must get your software onboarded before it can go live.

As part of onboarding, you must submit an access request and email it to the DoS live service team, see Request for access to our urgent and emergency Care DoS.

Requests are subject to an application process including review by the DoS Steering Group.

For a full list of interactions for this API, see the DoS REST API.