SUS registration overview

SUS is currently only directly available to NHSorganisations (or their information suppliers such as shared information services) and only to a limited number of staff in each organisation.

To access this information users must have a Spine smart card with the correct access rights (business functions) assigned by a local Registration Authority (RA) Sponsor. More details on registration and business functions can be found on the SUS Guidance. 

Spine Smartcard

To obtain a Smartcard, users must contact their local Registration Authority (RA), who is responsible for issuing cards. The RA will enter the users’ details on the NHS Care Record Service User Directory, known as the Spine User Directory (SUD) and the user will receive a Unique User Identifier (UUID). The record relating to the new user on the SUD will contain details of the organisation the user works for or is acting on behalf of. 

Using Role Profile (URP) for accessing SUS

Users must contact their local RA to do this. A registration form must be signed off for users to be assigned the required SUS Business Functions (BFs) by the RA. The RA will then update the Spine Directory Service (SDS) with the business functions to create the users URP.

Smartcard must contain the correct business functions

Providers require ‘Business Function B1565’ to be assigned to the smartcard. Commissioners require ‘Business Function B1560’. Without one of these roles users will not see the launch data access services’ link needed to access the SUS application.

Log in to the SUS PbR portal at least once

Portal at least once in order to create a ‘My Documents’ folder into which extract are sent. A report cannot be scheduled unless a user logs in. If a user has not logged in before the reconciliation or post reconciliation dates it is not possible to guarantee that the PbR report will be received.

Once you have followed these steps you should be able to enter the SUS application and access data relating to your organisation. 

The Patient Information Advisory Group (PIAG) imposed conditions on the approval of the Section 60 application for operating SUS including a requirement that access to patient identifiable data must be limited.

The limit of 3 users has been set on the basis that

• it is a suitable number of staff in an organisation to handle the extract SUS registration overview
• processes are expected to take place on a regular and known schedule
• it allows for managing staff absences/cover etc 
• it will ensure that SUS is not overloaded
• it will enable ‘fair access’ organisations 
• meets PIAG conditions

All organisations that are required to send data need to be registered with SUS by completing the SUS SR1 Registration Form. 

You should also use this form if you need to tell SUS about any amendments to the original registration including changes to the email you receive interchange notifications which fail to be processed into SUS. 

To process the sender registration you will need to create a new call through the NHS Digital service portal to process the sender registration making sure you attach a completed SR1 form. 

You will need a CDS Interchange Sender Identity to send a CDS Interchange, This is made up of a 10 character EDIFACT address and a local 5 character tail specified by the data sender. The code is used to manage physical interchange senders, particularly to ensure that interchanges are processed in sequence, flow blocking following an error is also managed at this level.

Most senders use the same 5 character suffix for all data, for example 00001.

Some use a different suffix for different dataset types (APC, OP etc) or for different PAS systems. Note: There are risks associated with this practice. Users are advised to make sure they fully understand the update protocols before choosing to use specific suffix identifiers.

Each provider should enlist the help of an XML translation supplier to translate the provider’s data into XML format. It is the responsibility of the XML translator to assist in obtaining and managing the EDIFACT address required by the provider.