Release 16.8 - 11 September 2026

This release introduced patient notifications at key stages of an NHS e-Referral Service referral. Patients may receive updates through the NHS App, email or text message when their referral is being reviewed or has been accepted, helping them understand its status and what will happen next. For routine referrals, the expected response timeframe will also reduce to 20 working days.

Review the news article for full details of these changes.

In addition to general performance improvements, this release included:

• removal of the ‘Advice and Guidance (A&G) Alias’ field
• removal of ‘Export to Excel’ link 
• Extension of service mapping exercise deadline to 9 October
• Named consultant value presented on the service mapping tool's 'Map your services' page

The tool continues to support providers in mapping live services to the new specialty and clinic types and recording named clinicians for services subject to patient choice.

This activity needs to be completed by every provider organisation with services on e-RS including:

• independent healthcare providers 
• NHS providers 
• GP practices that provide services 
• integrated care boards (ICBs) that have services

Our DoS news article contains further guidance on use of mapping tool.

The change will not impact end users.