Integration process overview

This page outlines the main activities required to integrate your software with the NHS e-Referral Service.

We have a small but dedicated team, who are available to support you throughout the process.

We provide a step-by-step guide to our integration process.

Find out what you need to do, and when, to integrate with the us as a partner. We call a partner anyone who integrates with our service, including end user organisations and IT suppliers.

All steps have to be completed before moving onto the next stage. We recommend using these pages to keep track of the actions you need to complete.

The integration process includes five main stages, plus sub-tasks contained within each stage.

Stage 1 - Design

Initially, there is a design stage where you can discover more about referrals and bookings within the NHS. You will want to understand what our API offers and verify your proposed use case.

This will guide you through which endpoints you may need to call to achieve a specific business outcome.

You may also want to understand the security and authentication controls. How to interact with these services and be aware of some of the limitations. Once you have a good understanding of what you want to achieve and perhaps have some questions - this is a good point to engage with our team.

Stage 2 - Build

Next, you'll want to start to build your software. For this stage, you will need access to our test environment and register your application. The process will guide you through the various teams you'll need to interact with.

Stage 3 - Assure

Once you have working software, you will need to go through an assurance process. This takes the form of a self-assessment documentation exercise and subsequent witness testing.

The assurance stage involves making sure your software complies with various regulations and laws, such as security, clinical safety and information governance.

Stage 4 - Release

Once you've navigated these stages you'll be issued with a certificate and connection agreement. This is the release stage - you are now ready to go live!

Stage 5 - Maintain

In the maintain stage, you have the opportunity to expand your software. By adding more functionality through additional endpoints, or adding more sites to your offering.

You will also be expected to keep up to date with API changes and compliance. This stage will guide you through all these processes.