Use the following best practice guidelines for recording client data within your local social care systems to ensure a match with the PDS on the national Spine, along with any specific advice provided by the supplier of your social care system. Use the field names and associate data quality requirements below.
NHS number
The NHS number:
- must have a value of 10 digits, otherwise the file will be rejected/record will not process
- must not include any punctuation or spaces within this field
Take particular care in transcribing the final digits of the NHS Number, as consecutive NHS Numbers are likely to have the same date of birth.
Date of birth
The date of birth:
- must be in the format YYYYMMDD
- must not include any punctuation or spaces within this field
Family name (surname)
Family name:
- must be a valid family name as it appears on formal documentation such as birth certificate, child protection order, passport, legal documentation
- must include the family name only (no forenames, or additional text)
- must not include any punctuation or spaces within this field, except in the instance of using ', such as in O’Neill, O’Connor
If you are unsure whether it is the mother or father’s family name being used please try to verify this. Do not include both family names if you are unsure which is correct.
Try to ensure correct spelling by referring to documentation.
First forename(s)/(First given name(s))
This must be a valid forename(s) as it appears on formal documentation such as birth certificate, child protection order, passport, legal documentation
If your system only has one field for forename, place all forenames in this field, ensuring they are in the correct order stated on formal documentation.
Use the full, formal name (not the known/nickname) and try to ensure correct spelling by referring to documentation.
Please be aware that records of new babies on the NHS Spine may not contain the forenames until the baby is registered at the GP (so for up to 6 weeks following the date of birth you may receive rejections against Spine data).
Alias/nickname
Use this field within your social care system to record the preferred name, abbreviated name, nickname or alias. This should always be used rather than amending the child’s formal first name.