Health and Social Care Network

Page contents

Summary

The Health and Social Care Network (HSCN) provides a reliable, efficient and flexible way for health and care organisations to access and exchange electronic information.

Top tasks

For NHS and public sector:

HSCN procurement options - To migrate to HSCN you'll need to start procurement of new HSCN network services.

HSCN customer journey - A six-stage customer journey to help you understand the process of migrating to HSCN.

For the private sector:

Guidance and timelines to support private sector organisations in their migration from the Transition Network to HSCN services.

For social care:

HSCN: an introduction for social care organisations to support social care providers looking to join HSCN

The Health and Social Care Network (HSCN) is a new data network for health and care organisations which replaced N3. It provides the underlying network arrangements to help integrate and transform health and social care services by enabling them to access and share information more reliably, flexibly and efficiently.

Health and care providers are able to obtain network connectivity from multiple suppliers in a competitive market place and in collaboration with other health and social care organisations.

New developments

NHS Digital awards HSCN contract following competitive procurement 

Following an open competition with good participation from a number of Health and Social Care Network (HSCN) suppliers, NHS Digital has confirmed its preferred supplier and agreed migration schedules for connecting its sites and services to the HSCN.

Read more on our News and Events page.

NHS Digital launches first wave of Aggregated Procurements

The first NHS Digital led Aggregated Procurements (APs) for the South West, London, North East and South East regions have now launched.

Read more on these launches on our News and Events page.

There's also a timetable of upcoming APs and details of which organisations are included.

HSCN devolved funding for 2018/19

NHS Digital recently communicated agreed devolved funding levels for all NHS organisations for financial year 2018/19. Read more on HSCN funding arrangements.

Crown Commercial Service (CCS) launches new HSCN Access Services dynamic purchasing system (RM3825)

NHS Digital are pleased to announce that the new dynamic purchasing system (DPS) for HSCN Access Services, RM3825, went live for customers on Friday 24th November.

RM3825 is recommended by NHS Digital as the most efficient route to market for HSCN procurement and we're expecting all HSCN compliant suppliers to join the DPS. Read more on the CCS website.

 

Connecting to HSCN

The HSCN Buying Guide

The HSCN Buying Guide provides useful information to new and existing customers considering buying a HSCN connection.

The new dynamic purchasing system (DPS) for HSCN Access Services, RM3825, is live for customers.

RM3825 is recommended by NHS Digital as the most efficient route to market for HSCN procurement and we're expecting all HSCN compliant suppliers to join the DPS. Read more on the CCS website

The HSCN Migration Checklist

The HSCN Migration Checklist v1.0 provides details of the actions you'll need to take at each stage of your migration to HSCN from the Transition Network.

Business applications guidance

Any N3 contacted Voice & or Video business applications currently running on the Transition Network at customer sites need to be replaced prior to the migration of the Network to HSCN. Read the NHS Digital guidance on procuring replacement services. Other useful HSCN documents, forms and guidance can be found on the Technical Guidance and supplier documentation pages.

Crown Commercial Service (CCS) have also published HSCN procurement templates and guidance on their website.

Sign the HSCN Connection Agreement

The HSCN Connection Agreement sets out the things HSCN customers must do before and whilst using HSCN. Learn more and complete a HSCN Connection Agreement.

Contacting HSCN

General HSCN enquiries - email enquiries@nhsdigital.nhs.uk
Media enquiries - contact our press office on 0300 303 3888 or email media@nhs.net
N3 enquiries - legacy N3 customers can contact the BT helpdesk on 0800 085 0503 (select option 3) for information about existing network services.

Further information

  1. New to HSCN

    All the info you need to get a new HSCN connection.

  6. HSCN technical guidance

    Guidance, policy and best practice documents covering all technical aspects of HSCN. Documents on this page will be regularly reviewed and updated by NHS Digital as required.