Patients should visit nhs.uk/your-nhs-data-matters to set their opt-out choice.
See compliance with the national data opt-out for full details of what you need to do to become compliant, by March 2020.
Top tasks
This guidance is for those working in organisations that use or disclose data that falls within the scope of national data opt-out policy. The Check for National Data Opt-outs Service is a technical solution that health and care organisations can use to check for opt-outs before using or disclosing data.
The four principal GP IT system suppliers are implementing Check for National Data Opt-outs functionality within their clinical systems, so GP practices only need to install the MESH service separately if they disclose data outside their clinical systems.
Set up MESH
MESH is NHS Digital's secure messaging service. It supports two-way transfer of data between NHS Digital and health and care organisations. Data is fully encrypted during transit. The service uses MESH to allow users to send a data file containing a list of patient NHS numbers to be checked against the Spine repository, where information about national data opt-outs is stored. The service then uses MESH to send back an updated version of the data file with the NHS numbers of those who have opted out removed.
MESH can be accessed using the MESH client, the most widely-used option, or through systems that have been integrated using the MESH API. This guidance tells you how to set up and configure the MESH client, and how to use the service to check for national data opt-outs.
In most cases systems suppliers or IT administrators will handle the set-up of MESH for each organisation, and end users should get in touch with their organisation's IT contacts with any questions about setting up the service, including installation, access rights or running the MESH client.
Existing MESH users
If your organisation already uses a MESH client, you may be able to use your existing client for this service.
You can also choose whether to use the existing mailbox, or request a new one. To help you decide, consider:
- who has access to the files in that mailbox, and if it is appropriate for the users to access both lists of NHS numbers, and other data being transferred for other reasons
- how it is set up, including automatic transfers or deletions already in place that might affect workflow
1. Request a new MESH mailbox
If you're installing MESH for the first time, you'll be prompted to request a MESH mailbox and set it up as part of the technical instructions. If you are going to use an existing MESH client, you can still decide to request a new mailbox specifically for the Check for National Data Opt-outs Service.
The service level agreement for the creation of a new MESH mailbox is 10 working days. When your request is completed, you'll be sent a mailbox name and authentication key to add to your MESH installation.
How to fill in the MESH mailbox application form
Most fields are self-explanatory but there are specific answers to include in the form for Check for National Data Opt-outs Service mailbox requests.
Under section A, in the fields:
- 'Name of clinical system supplier' - enter 'Check for National Data Opt-outs Service'
- 'Email address of clinical system supplier' - provide contact details for your technical lead or support service
Under section B, in the fields:
- 'Workflow to be supported by the mailbox' - enter workflow ID
SPINE_NTT_UPHOLDING - 'Summary of requirement' - enter 'This is an existing workflow to allow NHS numbers to be checked for national data opt-outs through the Check for National Data Opt-outs service'
Under section C, in the fields:
- 'Message format' - enter
.DAT - 'Individual message size' - enter 'Other: varies according to specific data use/dissemination'
- 'Message delivery time' - choose whether you are most likely to send messages within or outside business hours. You won't be restricted to your choice.
- 'Message transmission frequency' - enter how often you think you might use the service, for example weekly or monthly
2. Install the MESH Client (new users only)
If your organisation already has the MESH client installed, you may be able to reuse this instead of installing a new instance.
To install a new MESH client, follow the instructions on the MESH technical information page. Full guidance and downloads are given in the installation pack.
3. Set up an additional MESH mailbox (existing users only)
If you decide to use a new mailbox with an existing client, you need to edit the MESH configuration file, meshclient.cfg, which will be in the directory and folder where the MESH client has been installed.
Add a new client section by including the following code in the configuration file:
HTML
Enter the mailbox name and authentication key you were sent when your MESH mailbox was set up. Make sure the location in the InterfaceRoot field matches the directory location where the MESH client has been installed, and ensure a corresponding folder is created in the root directory location.
Use the service: guidance on how to prepare, send and receive your files.
Once you have configured MESH, you can use it to send lists of NHS numbers to be checked, and receive amended lists back.
Before using the service, please review the Check for National Data Opt-outs licence agreement, which notes the rights and conditions upon which your organisation may use the Check for National Data Opt-outs service provided by NHS Digital
Creating data and control files
To send a set of NHS numbers to the Check for National Data Opt-outs service via MESH, you need to create two paired files. These are:
.datfile – the data file containing the list of NHS numbers that need to be checked.ctlfile – the control file that contains the information required to identify, transmit and audit the data file
The paired files must have exactly the same name, apart from their respective extensions.
You can use any text editor, including Notepad or Wordpad, to create or edit the files.
Outbound data file (.dat)
This file must only contain a list of NHS numbers, each followed by a comma and a carriage return (including the final one). Including any other details will stop the file being processed. Files created with a .csv extension type can be renamed to a .dat file.
See an example of a data file containing dummy NHS Numbers
Outbound control file (.ctl)
This file tells the MESH server to transfer the .dat file to the Check for National Data Opt-outs service.
SPINE_NTT_UPHOLDING is the workflow identifier for this service. You must copy this exactly to the workflow identifier (WorkflowId) tag, as shown in the example .ctl file below.
The control file must match the format of the following example, with the data items replaced with your own organisation’s details. Without these changes your file will not be successfully delivered and processed.
HTML
The FromDTS field should contain your organisation's mailbox ID. You should provide a value for the Local Identifier (LocalId) tag in the .ctl file(s) particularly if you're sending lots of different files. Files returned by the service will contain the same LocalId so that you can match returned files with the original source files.
The code <AllowChunking>Y</AllowChunking> tells MESH to allow large files to be processed in 20Mb chunks. Without this configuration value in the .ctl file, a file larger than 100 Mb will make the transfer fail.
Naming the data and control files
Data files submitted to MESH must have unique filenames, so that they can be tracked if there are any issues.
A suggested format to follow is to use your mailbox ID followed by a hyphen then day, month and year of the date the file is produced followed by a hyphen and then a 4-digit sequence number to show what order that file has been produced in that month.
So, for example for an organisation with MESH mailbox id YCLTA53 that had produced a file on 7 February 2019 which was the fifth file produced that month, the file names would be:
YCLTA53-070219-0005.datYCLTA53-070219-0005.ctl
Sending files to the checking service with MESH
When the MESH client is installed the following default file system directory/folder structure is created. The location of the directory will be dependent upon how the MESH client has been installed at your location.
<MESH-DATA-HOME>
\FAILED
\IN
\OUT
\SENT
\TEMP
\TEMP\RCV
Place your correctly named and configured files together in your MESH OUT folder (put the data file in first if moving them individually).
If the MESH client has not been set to automatically run (if it's not in the start-up services enabled on your computer) then after placing the files in the OUT folder you will need to run the MESH Client.
Timescales
How long it will take to get the processed file back depends on how often the MESH client is configured to connect to the mailbox - this is referred to as 'polling'. By default, this is set up to be every 30 minutes, but you can change this in the meshclient.cfg file. Changing the PollPeriod value will change how often the MESH client connects, so <PollPeriod>40</PollPeriod> will result in the MESH client checking every 40 minutes.
The Check for National Data Opt-outs Service is also set to ‘poll’ every 30 minutes to collect new files to be checked and to provide updated files back to the MESH client. This can mean that if the polling times have not been changed it could take up to 1 hour to get a processed file back after you send it. However, we don't recommend shortening the polling time unless you use the service more than once a day.
We're reviewing the polling period for the checking service, and we expect to reduce it to 1 minute during 2019.
Housekeeping
Once data files are sent via MESH, both the control and data files are automatically copied into the SENT folder. It is the responsibility of your organisation to manage the SENT folder and provide the necessary housekeeping to move, delete or archive these files as required.
Check for failed transfers
If a control file has been completed incorrectly it will be moved to the FAILED folder along with the respective data file. You should check this folder periodically for files that could not be sent via MESH.
Status of files sent to the checking service through MESH
Unlike some other services which use MESH to submit files, you will not receive a delivery status update file from MESH - just a processed data file.
If you need to check on the delivery status of any files submitted via MESH, you can either:
- contact the National Service Desk
- apply for an account to track and trace files sent using MESH by using the MESH Online Enquiry Service (MOLES).
Receiving files from the checking service through MESH
Files sent back from the service will be placed in the IN folder, along with an updated control file.
Successful transactions
Provided the service has been able to process the file successfully, it will send back a data file with an updated list of NHS numbers - with any that had a national data opt-out recorded removed from the list. This will be placed in the IN folder along with an updated control file. The control file will have a blank subject field, but will include a status record which confirms the transfer of the file back to the organisation, for example:
HTML
Error messages
If there was something wrong with the file you submitted, you may get a .dat file sent back containing an error message. Some common ones are listed here, along with what to do when you resubmit the file to try again. If these error messages persist, or you get one that you don't understand, contact the National Service Desk via the weblog or call them on 0300 3035035.
FileHasNoContent
Make sure the data file you provided contains only 10-digit NHS Numbers, separated by a ‘,’.
The file has more than one column
Make sure the data file you provided contains only a single column of 10-digit NHS Numbers, separated by a ‘,’.
The file is missing one or more delimiters
Make sure the data file you provided is comma delimited - each NHS number should be followed by a ',' including the last one on the list. See the example .dat file.
The file contains one or more invalid NHS numbers
Make sure the NHS numbers provided are all 10-digits and just consist of numbers.
Failing to receive a file back
If you don't get a file back, check the file has gone from the OUT folder and been copied to the SENT folder. If no:
- check the MESH client is running
- check the polling period hasn't been changed in the meshclient.cfg file
- check your FAILED folder in case the file was not set up correctly and could not be transferred
If yes:
- check whether any automated processes could be deleting files before you have a chance to collect them
If the problem persists, contact the National Service Desk via the weblog or call them on 0300 3035035.
Test the service
We've created a small set of test NHS numbers you can test with. You should not use dummy NHS numbers from your own systems, as the service will not recognise them.
Follow the process above with these numbers, to test your processes for preparing, sending and receiving files. Create a .dat and .ctl form and send them to the service. The returned file should then contain the 11 NHS numbers which have no opt-out registered.
There are 15 test NHS numbers available, 4 of which have a national data opt-out registered. The test NHS numbers are shown below, together with some of the associated demographic details and the opt-out status:
|
NHS_No |
DoB |
Age |
GENDER |
FAMILY_NAME |
TITLE |
Opt-out Registered |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
9990536627 |
20050203 |
14 |
Female |
XXTESTPATIENT-TEXR |
MISS |
No |
|
9990537313 |
20030503 |
16 |
Female |
XXTESTPATIENT-TFAD |
MISS |
No |
|
9990537364 |
20010518 |
18 |
Female |
XXTESTPATIENT-TFAH |
MISS |
No |
|
9990569479 |
19760518 |
43 |
Female |
XXTESTPATIENT-TJIN |
MRS |
Yes |
|
9990569401 |
19750721 |
44 |
Female |
XXTESTPATIENT-TJIH |
MS |
Yes |
|
9990539685 |
20010627 |
18 |
Male |
XXTESTPATIENT-TFIK |
MR |
Yes |
|
9990539642 |
20000917 |
19 |
Male |
XXTESTPATIENT-TFIG |
MR |
Yes |
|
9990539596 |
19950125 |
24 |
Male |
XXTESTPATIENT-TFIC |
MR |
No |
|
9990539502 |
19831220 |
36 |
Male |
XXTESTPATIENT-TFHU |
MR |
No |
|
9990539537 |
19731203 |
46 |
Male |
XXTESTPATIENT-TFHX |
MR |
No |
|
9990539693 |
19661027 |
53 |
Male |
XXTESTPATIENT-TFIL |
MR |
No |
|
9990539634 |
19550608 |
64 |
Male |
XXTESTPATIENT-TFIF |
MR |
No |
|
9990539553 |
19540324 |
65 |
Male |
XXTESTPATIENT-TFHZ |
MR |
No |
|
9990539499 |
19410707 |
78 |
Male |
XXTESTPATIENT-TFHT |
MR |
No |
|
9990539510 |
19360512 |
83 |
Male |
XXTESTPATIENT-TFHV |
MR |
No |
Other demographic details have been set to the same values for each of the 15 NHS numbers:
|
Demographic Detail |
Setting (for all 15 NHS Numbers) |
|---|---|
|
|
DONOTUSE |
|
|
- |
|
|
C/O NHS DIGITAL TEST DATA MANAGER |
|
|
SOLUTION ASSURANCE 1 TREVELYAN SQ. |
|
|
BOAR LANE |
|
|
LEEDS |
|
|
WEST YORKSHIRE |
|
|
LS1 6AE |
|
|
Y90001 |
Do not enter test data into live patient systems
The test data provided here must only be used as described here. Test data should not be used for any other purpose, or introduced into systems including real patient data.
Risks include:
- confusion between real patient and test data which could result in real data being recorded against a test record and vice versa
- test data booked in to real clinical appointment slots, reducing the number of slots available for real patients
- inaccurate reporting for statistics or payments.
- confusion for users switching between live and test environments
Last edited: 26 November 2019 11:39 am