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Spine External Interface Specification (EIS)
The Spine EIS describes how to connect to the Spine national services via HL7 V3 APIs.
Page contents
Overview
The Spine EIS (External Interface Specification) is a set of Word documents that provide system developers (architects, designers, and builders) with the necessary information to connect to the Spine national services via HL7 V3 APIs.
It does not give details of the format of specific messages - for that see the Spine Message Implementation Manual.
These are Microsoft Word files. To request a different format, contact us.
EIS Part 1 - Introduction
An overview of audience, background, standards and specification conventions.
EIS Part 2 - Message Handling Service (MHS)
Explains how to build a Message Handling Service (MHS).
You must use an MHS to send correctly structured messages to and from Spine services.
EIS Part 3 - Message Interaction Map
Includes tables of all Spine interactions. In each case it describes the interaction type; for example, synchronous or asynchronous.
EIS Part 4 - Gazetteer Service
Explains how to use the Gazetteer Service, which supports the validation or retrieval of UK-based addresses.
EIS Part 5 - Spine Directory Services (SDS)
Describes the external interfaces necessary for systems to obtain information from the Spine Directory Services (SDS). SDS provides details of organisations, people and systems registered with the Spine.
EIS Part 6 - Spine Security Broker (SSB)
Describes the external interfaces required by system implementers to access the Spine Security Broker (SSB) to implement single sign-on.
EIS Part 7 - Spine Security Broker (SSB) API
Includes the formal specification of SSB Java and C APIs.
EIS Parts 8, 9 and 10
These parts have been withdrawn.
EIS Part 11 - Access Control Service
Describes the additional Access Control Framework (ACF) subsystem service provided by Spine. Specifically, it covers the requirements for the web services to support resource-based access control maintenance and query.
Primarily used for Summary Care Record (SCR) consent.
EIS Part 12 - One Click CSA
How to launch the Summary Care Record (SCR) application from within other applications.
EIS Appendix A
Information on:
* MHS Standard Elements
* MHS Faults
* Message examples
EIS Appendix B - Errors
Outlines the transport level errors that you might receive back from the Spine.
EIS Appendix C - Validation
Provides more details on transport validation, including the ebXML and HL7 V3 errors you might receive.