What is account provisioning

Account provisioning enables GP practices to set up an NHS login on behalf of a patient.

Instead of patients registering and verifying their identity themselves, authorised staff can create a high-level verified account (known as P9) for them.

This makes it easier for patients to access digital health services and reduces the need for support.

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Requirements

For the process to work, the GP practice must:

• have a registered and authorised ODS code
• use a GP system that supports provisioning (currently EMIS and TPP are integrated)

The patient must:

• have an active PDS record with NHS number, phone number, and other demographics
• not already have a P9-level NHS login account
• have a mobile number that matches their PDS record

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How it works

There are two parts to the account provisioning process:

1. Healthcare professional flow

Healthcare staff use the Provisioning API to start the process. Here's what happens:

1. The GP system authenticates using an access token
2. The patient’s demographic details and the organisation’s ODS code are submitted
3. The system checks eligibility and validates the patient’s details against the Personal Demographics Service (PDS)
4. A response is returned with either a provisioning ID or an error
5. An email is sent to the patient with instructions to complete their account setup

Visual diagram: Healthcare professional flow