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NHS CIS2 Authentication

NHS CIS2 Authentication is the secure authentication service used by health and care professionals in England to access national clinical information systems.

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What is CIS2 Authentication?

CIS2 Authentication is a secure authentication service used by health and care professionals in England to access national clinical information systems.

It opens up new authentication options as alternatives to smartcards, including iPads, security keys, Windows Hello for Business and Microsoft Authenticator.

How it works

A four step flow showing the process of showing the Care Identity button, the user pressing the button, the user authenticating and then the user logged in to the system

Benefits

CIS2 Auth Convenient banner

Access anywhere

Log in just by showing your face or fingerprints

No need to worry about losing your smartcard. No need to remember different logins. No need for HSCN.

CIS2 Auth Secure banner

Cryptographic login

Unique credentials that never leave the user’s device and are never stored on a server.

This security model eliminates the risks of phishing, all forms of password theft and replay attacks.

CIS2 Auth Reliable banner

Persistent support

Platinum service - supported 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

99.99% availability - see our track record.

Improving patient care
  • Paramedics now have access to patient information whilst en route and at an incident as they can use their biometrics on iPads to access NCRS.
  • Dentists are referring patients into the NHS using security keys to access eRS.
  • Pharmacists can use Windows Hello for Business on tablets and laptops, supporting them to consult with patients where they're needed and freeing them from being tethered to a desk.
  • Social care staff can now view patients' medical records using multi-factor authentication with their mobile phones.

Authenticator options

Users can authenticate using 6 different methods.

Services using NHS CIS2 Authentication

Over 40 applications and 530,000 users are benefitting from using NHS CIS2 Authentication. Find out which websites and apps currently use NHS CIS2 Authentication.

You can also see our performance data.

Onboarding

The idea is simple:

  1. We provide a secure, reliable authentication service and a standards based (OIDC, WebAuthn, FIDO2), simple API to integrate with.

  2. You integrate NHS CIS2 Authentication into your website or app and get it approved by us.

  3. Health and care professionals have a convenient way to authenticate and don't have to remember different logins for different systems.

On average, onboarding can take about 3 months, but we've found that this can be made much shorter if you're able to give it more resources and focus.

Registration Authorities

Most NHS organisations have a Registration Authority, among whose tasks is registering and deregistering NHS CIS2 authenticators. Find out more about how Registration Authorities manage non-smartcard authenticators in Care Identity Management.

Support and troubleshooting

You can get support by going to the NHS Digital Customer Portal or emailing [email protected].

Latest updates

To read about recent new features and what's coming up, go to our release hub.

Our vision is evolving as we learn

There are lots of features we are working on and considering for the future and we'd love to hear what you think.

To vote on these features, comment or suggest new ideas, visit our feedback portal.

Last edited: 18 March 2024 12:32 pm