Terminology Server - FHIR APIs

Use these APIs to retrieve content from the NHS England Terminology Server, including:

• international terminologies and classifications - such as SNOMED-CT and ICD-10
• terminologies mandated for use in England - such as the dictionary of medicines and devices (dm+d)

You can:

• directly query the terminology server in real time, using a number of FHIR APIs, as defined by the HL7 FHIR-compliant terminology module standard
• access a syndicated feed of terminology and classifications content in a machine-readable format, via an API
• syndicate content across a group of terminology servers
• share your own terminologies with others

Some content in the Terminology Server is freely available for read access, such as dm+d. Other content is subject to access controls appropriate to the license, such as SNOMED-CT.

To see what terminologies and classifications you can retrieve, see content in the NHS England Terminology Server.

As well as these APIs, there are a number of end user terminology browsing tools available.

For more information, see terminology servers.

If you require further support, contact [email protected]. 

The terminology server is intended for use by:

• providers of health and care services

• commissioners of health and care services

• population health managers

• suppliers in the health and care market

• researchers and analysts

For more details, see how it can be used.

The following APIs are related to these:

• Data Registers Service - REST API - provides less functionality than the Terminology Server, but from quicker, simpler tabular data sources. A RESTful API but not FHIR-compliant

• Technology Reference Update Distribution API - allows automated download of TRUD release files, including classification products, NHS data model and dictionary, and terminology products. A RESTful API but not FHIR-compliant

These APIs are in production.

These APIs make up a platinum service, meaning it is operational and supported 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

For more details, see service levels. 

For service status, see service navigation and status.  

This API is RESTful.

It conforms to the FHIR global standard for health care data exchange, specifically to FHIR R4 (v4.0.1), except that it does not support the capabilities interaction.

These APIs are available on the internet and, indirectly, on the Health and Social Care Network (HSCN).

For more details, see Network access for APIs.

Individual users can access content on the Terminology Server with a registered account (authenticated) or without a registered account (non-authenticated).

You can find guidance on registering an account as an individual in our account management guide.

To access the terminology server from a software application or to syndicate content to your own terminology server (rather than access via a browser) you need a system-to-system account.

There are several environments that make up the terminology server.

For more details, see terminology server environments.

The terminology server website supports self-service onboarding, including:

• how it can be used
• how to get access
• information hub
• quick start for developers 
• GitHub repository of examples and code snippets

You can find an extensive library of example API queries, based on the content contained in the terminology server, in our GitHub repository.