How to find a patient

When you have logged into NCRS and selected your role, you will be taken to the ‘Find a patient’ screen. You can find a patient using different search methods.

These role-based access control (RBAC) codes can find a patient in NCRS:

• B0264 to find a patient using their basic details, advanced details or NHS number
• B0098 to find a patient using their postcode, in addition to the search methods B0264 can use

If you used to be able to search by postcode but cannot see the option anymore, it might be because your RBAC has changed. Contact your Registration Authority to check.

The patient’s NHS number will be a 10 digit number, like 485 777 3456. The patient’s NHS number will be on any letter they have from the NHS, like a prescription or appointment letter.

The patient can find their NHS number (opens in new tab) if they do not know it.

To search by basic details, you will need the patient's: 

• gender 
• last name 
• date of birth 

To search by advanced details, you will need to complete: 

• the gender field, which has a ‘Search all’ option 
• the last name field 
• the date of birth field (you can also enter a date of birth range, an age range instead, or the year of birth) 

You can add information to the optional fields to narrow your search: 

• first name 
• postcode 
• date of death, or year of death 

If you are not sure about a patient’s first or last name, you can select an option to widen your search to include similar names and misspellings.

You will need the patient’s full postcode. 

Only roles with RBAC code B0098 can search for a patient using a postcode. You can add information to the optional fields to narrow your search:

• first name
• last name
• date of birth
• previous occupants from a specified date range

You can enter an occupancy date range in years, rather than specific dates.

If you only know part of a patient’s first name, last name or postcode, you can use an asterisk (*) to include more options in your search. You must enter the first 2 letters of the name or postcode.  

If you select the option to ‘Widen search to include similar names and misspellings’ on the ‘Advanced’ tab, using an asterisk in the name and postcode fields will not work. 

Examples 

• Edm* could match Edmonds, Edmunds or Edmunds-Smith 
• LS* could match LS1 7YU or LS12 8HY (this only works for postcodes in the advanced search tab) 
• K*n could match Kahn or Khan 

You do not need to use more than 1 asterisk if it is replacing more than 1 character.  

If your search matches more than one patient, you will be able to choose the patient you’re searching for from a list of results.

If you can’t find the right patient, you can navigate back and refine your search or select another patient.