Appendix B User Acceptance Testing (UAT) and test tool guidance

User acceptance testing happens with supplier systems connected to the Spine2DEP environment and there are several steps to take to prepare for this:

• main elements for testing
• infrastructure readiness
• local device readiness

The main elements are

• access to the NEMS Testing Tool, this is supplied by Platforms Support who create an admin account for the nominated administrator who then sets up the rest of the testing teams access
• smartcards, these must be cards created in the Spine2DEP environment, these are requested from Platforms Support and usually arrive quickly 
• System Supplier Testing Environment System C, Servelec ,TPP and Sitekit already have test environments connected to Spine2DEP.  If you have a different supplier, ask your NHSD contact to request platforms support to create a new workgroup code under the NHSD ODS code on Spine2DEP. This is then applied to the supplier testing environment by the supplier and by platforms support to the smartcards

NHS England supplier and provider check that the required access for the IP addresses, ports and protcols required for SPINE2DEP is in place.  

At the provider organisation, the following checks are needed:

• smartcard software was the correct version
• relevant staff have the Testing environment installed/accessible on their devices
• update the certificates for the test devices 
• setup the ability for users to make the changes to registry settings they required to switch between live and deployment environments, this has been done via  the software centre

It is possible for local device readiness to be built into a package so that any new devices can be added to the group so these actions can be automated. 

Guidance for the NEMS test tool is within this section. If you have are intending to use the test tool for a specific period of time, please inform the test team of your dates so they can avoid making changes or updates to the tool during this timeframe. Please email [email protected].

The tool is basic and does not fully validate data entry to facilitate negative testing so this should be used carefully. It is designed to test realistic workflows and will not accurately reflect how NEMS works for a data flow in an unrealistic scenario and could cause unnecessary investigations.

You can open the tool by using a Chrome browser and opening this link http://messaging-portal.itblab.nic.cfh.nhs.uk/Login ​​​​​

Your local administrator will need to create a user name and password for you.  To create an an administrator account please email our platforms support team.  

To use the test tool. 

1. Login to the NEMS test tool.

2. You will be able to see a NEMS menu on the left of the screen. If you are logging in as an administrator you will be able to see an admin menu. 

The subscriptions are created by TPP. 

To use the testing process

1. Register your assigned demo patient records in the supplier demo unit.
2. In the NEMS test tool, select the option for the message type that you wish to test and send a test message for a demo patient (see the next section of this document for further details).
3. Check this message is received in the supplier demo unit.
4. Check the change applies correctly to the patient record in the supplier demo unit.
5. Record the details of each test completed, along with the outcome. Any concerns should raised with you supplier for investigation. 

You should test all the scenarios in UAT using the UAT scenarios document. 

These actions are applicable to all options

• moving the cursor over a field will show additional information, such as the required format
• in the environment drop-down box, always ensure Spine2 DEP is selected
• all fields should be completed unless stated as non-mandatory or this guide advises otherwise
• where options have a light blue background, click on the and they will expand to allow details to be entered
• new episode of care identifiers can be left blank as these will then be automatically created

This option allows you to publish a new event, details of the event are generated for you.

The options available include:

• newborn hearing event
• NIPE outcome event
• Blood Spot Test outcome
• professional contacts
• vaccinations

This option allows you to update the time of an existing event. The options available include 

• newborn hearing event
• NIPE outcome event
• Blood Spot Test outcome
• professional contacts
• vaccinations

This option allows you to delete an existing event. The options available in the drop down menu include  

• newborn hearing event
• NIPE outcome event
• Blood Spot Test outcome
• professional contacts
• vaccinations

It is important to test all scenarios including when

• a mother's details are not on the Spine
• a mother's details that are on the Spine but not registered in your system
• a mother is registered in your system 

The mothers details must match your generic subscriptions, so should be registered with a GP in your area or live in our area but not registered with a GP. Use realistic scenarios that would occur in real life as otherwise time and effort could be spent trying to unpick something that would be impossible.

NIPE results will automatically populate but can be amended prior to sending, ensuring all outcomes can be tested. Result details are optional so it is not necessary to complete details for all areas of the test, replicating that no data for this area of the test was submitted.

Hearing screening results will automatically populate but can be amended prior to sending, ensuring all outcomes can be tested. Result details are optional so it is not necessary to complete details for al areas of the test, replicating that no data for this area of the test was submitted.

Vaccination details will automatically populate but can be amended prior to sending, ensuring all outcomes can be tested.

This option allows you to update the PDS record, this will allow you to check that the changes made on PDS are reflected in the supplier record.

1. Search for the patient and the current PDS details will be returned.

2. Amend the details are required and click send update.  

Details are only required to be added for the areas you set to Update. You are able to update all areas at the same time if required.

If the item is currently blank and you wish to add new details, ensure the drop-down is set to Add.

Once an update has been made, you can use this same option again to search for the same record and check the details have been updated on PDS.

This option allows you to see the messages you have sent and the response back from NEMS/Spine. It also allows you to see the details of all messages you have sent/received from the tool, these are held grouped by date in a folder structure where you can click on the folder to expand the next level.

If you believe a message does not arrive in your supplier system or does not make the expected changes, always return to the message to verify the details sent and the response to your message.

If the message is a PDS message like birth registration, and you see a response message name starting with ‘MCCI_IN010000UK13’, that means your message was not successful and if you open the message you will see a reason in the message details. For all the rest if NEMS event the response message name will start from ‘DCHPublicationResponse’. You can click on these messages to check the response from NEMS.

Selecting a message will open it in your browser, below is an extract from a message. Responses from the spine should also show here and will be dated 2 seconds later than the sent message.

If you need a pack of test patients for either the Integration environment or the deployment environment, then please email [email protected].