GP Connect is a national NHS England interoperability programme that enables authorised clinical and patient-facing systems to securely access and update patient records held in GP principal clinical systems (EMIS Web, SystmOne, Vision). The programme exposes a suite of FHIR-based REST APIs spanning structured clinical record access (medications, allergies, immunisations, consultations, problems, investigations), unstructured document retrieval, appointment management, document sending, record updating, and patient-facing services for patients to view their own records, manage repeat prescriptions, and book appointments via the NHS App. Clinical system APIs are mediated through the Spine Security Proxy (SSP) over HSCN; patient-facing APIs use NHS login OpenID Connect at P9 identity verification. Access requires NHS England onboarding, an approved clinical use case, information governance compliance, and a clinical safety officer holding DCB0129 and DCB0160 certification. The service is funded by NHS England at no direct API cost to consuming organisations.
8 APIs0 Features
NHSFHIRHealthcareGP RecordsAppointmentsPrescriptionsInteroperabilityUKPatient RecordsElectronic Health RecordsFHIR STU3FHIR R4
Retrieve structured and coded clinical information from a patient's GP practice record via a FHIR STU3 interface. Supports retrieval of medications, allergies, immunisations, co...
Retrieve unstructured documents (e.g. scanned letters, attachments) from a patient's GP practice record. Complements the structured access API for cases where clinical informati...
Manage GP practice appointments between different clinical systems. Enables consumers to search for free appointment slots, book appointments, retrieve appointment details, amen...
Send a PDF consultation summary or clinical document to a patient's registered GP practice. Used when a patient is seen in a non-GP setting (out-of-hours, community pharmacy, ur...
Send structured FHIR data to update a patient's GP record with medications, encounters, and observations. Currently approved for pharmacy use cases, including informing a GP tha...
Allow patients to access structured and coded information from their own GP practice record via a patient-facing application. Retrieves medications, allergies, immunisations, co...
Allow patients to book and manage their own appointments at their GP practice via a patient-facing application. Supports searching for free slots, booking appointments, retrievi...
Allow patients to manage repeat prescriptions held by their GP practice via a patient-facing application. Supports requesting a new instance of a repeat prescription, checking t...
aid: gp-connect
url: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/api-evangelist/gp-connect/refs/heads/main/apis.yml
name: GP Connect
kind: company
image: https://kinlane-images.s3.amazonaws.com/shared/apis-json/apis-json-logo.jpg
tags:
- NHS
- FHIR
- Healthcare
- GP Records
- Appointments
- Prescriptions
- Interoperability
- UK
- Patient Records
- Electronic Health Records
- FHIR STU3
- FHIR R4
created: '2026-06-13'
modified: '2026-06-13'
specificationVersion: '0.19'
description: GP Connect is a national NHS England interoperability programme that enables authorised clinical and patient-facing
systems to securely access and update patient records held in GP principal clinical systems (EMIS Web, SystmOne, Vision).
The programme exposes a suite of FHIR-based REST APIs spanning structured clinical record access (medications, allergies,
immunisations, consultations, problems, investigations), unstructured document retrieval, appointment management, document
sending, record updating, and patient-facing services for patients to view their own records, manage repeat prescriptions,
and book appointments via the NHS App. Clinical system APIs are mediated through the Spine Security Proxy (SSP) over HSCN;
patient-facing APIs use NHS login OpenID Connect at P9 identity verification. Access requires NHS England onboarding, an
approved clinical use case, information governance compliance, and a clinical safety officer holding DCB0129 and DCB0160
certification. The service is funded by NHS England at no direct API cost to consuming organisations.
apis:
- aid: gp-connect:access-record-structured-fhir
name: GP Connect Access Record - Structured FHIR API
tags:
- FHIR STU3
- Patient Records
- Medications
- Allergies
- Immunisations
- Consultations
- Problems
- Investigations
- Clinical Access
image: https://kinlane-images.s3.amazonaws.com/shared/apis-json/apis-json-logo.jpg
baseURL: https://sandbox.api.service.nhs.uk/gp-connect-access-record-structured-fhir
humanURL: https://digital.nhs.uk/developer/api-catalogue/gp-connect-access-record-structured-fhir
description: Retrieve structured and coded clinical information from a patient's GP practice record via a FHIR STU3 interface.
Supports retrieval of medications, allergies, immunisations, consultations, problems, investigations, and reviewed documents.
Intended for clinical system consumers accessing data on behalf of healthcare professionals delivering direct care. Mediated
through the Spine Security Proxy over HSCN. Current version is 1.5.0 and is in production.
properties:
- type: Documentation
url: https://digital.nhs.uk/developer/api-catalogue/gp-connect-access-record-structured-fhir
- type: OpenAPI
url: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NHSDigital/gp-connect-access-record-structured-fhir/master/specification/gp-connect-access-record-structured-fhir.yaml
- type: Sandbox
url: https://sandbox.api.service.nhs.uk/gp-connect-access-record-structured-fhir
- type: GitHub
url: https://github.com/NHSDigital/gp-connect-access-record-structured-fhir
- aid: gp-connect:access-document-fhir
name: GP Connect Access Document FHIR API
tags:
- FHIR STU3
- Patient Records
- Documents
- Unstructured Records
- Clinical Access
image: https://kinlane-images.s3.amazonaws.com/shared/apis-json/apis-json-logo.jpg
baseURL: https://sandbox.api.service.nhs.uk/gp-connect-access-document-fhir
humanURL: https://digital.nhs.uk/developer/api-catalogue/gp-connect-access-document-fhir
description: Retrieve unstructured documents (e.g. scanned letters, attachments) from a patient's GP practice record. Complements
the structured access API for cases where clinical information is held as binary document rather than coded FHIR resources.
Mediated through the Spine Security Proxy over HSCN.
properties:
- type: Documentation
url: https://digital.nhs.uk/developer/api-catalogue/gp-connect-access-document-fhir
- aid: gp-connect:appointment-management-fhir
name: GP Connect Appointment Management FHIR API
tags:
- FHIR STU3
- Appointments
- Slot Management
- Booking
- Clinical Access
image: https://kinlane-images.s3.amazonaws.com/shared/apis-json/apis-json-logo.jpg
baseURL: https://sandbox.api.service.nhs.uk/gp-connect-appointment-management-fhir
humanURL: https://digital.nhs.uk/developer/api-catalogue/gp-connect-appointment-management-fhir
description: Manage GP practice appointments between different clinical systems. Enables consumers to search for free appointment
slots, book appointments, retrieve appointment details, amend appointments, and cancel appointments at a patient's registered
GP practice. Mediated through the Spine Security Proxy over HSCN. Version 1.2.7 in production; the appointment management
capability has been available as a clinical system API since 2018.
properties:
- type: Documentation
url: https://digital.nhs.uk/developer/api-catalogue/gp-connect-appointment-management-fhir
- type: OpenAPI
url: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NHSDigital/gp-connect-appointments-management-fhir/master/specification/gp-connect-appointments-management-fhir.yaml
- type: Sandbox
url: https://sandbox.api.service.nhs.uk/gp-connect/patient-facing/appointments-management-fhir/FHIR/STU3
- type: GitHub
url: https://github.com/NHSDigital/gp-connect-appointments-management-fhir
- aid: gp-connect:send-document-fhir
name: GP Connect Send Document FHIR API
tags:
- FHIR STU3
- ITK3
- MESH
- Documents
- Messaging
- Clinical Access
image: https://kinlane-images.s3.amazonaws.com/shared/apis-json/apis-json-logo.jpg
baseURL: https://digital.nhs.uk/developer/api-catalogue/gp-connect-send-document-fhir
humanURL: https://digital.nhs.uk/developer/api-catalogue/gp-connect-send-document-fhir
description: Send a PDF consultation summary or clinical document to a patient's registered GP practice. Used when a patient
is seen in a non-GP setting (out-of-hours, community pharmacy, urgent care centre) and the consulting clinician needs
to update the patient's GP record. Messages use FHIR STU3 ITK3 composition payloads delivered via MESH messaging infrastructure.
In production.
properties:
- type: Documentation
url: https://digital.nhs.uk/developer/api-catalogue/gp-connect-send-document-fhir
- aid: gp-connect:update-record-fhir
name: GP Connect Update Record FHIR API
tags:
- FHIR STU3
- Patient Records
- Medications
- Encounters
- Observations
- Pharmacy
- Clinical Access
image: https://kinlane-images.s3.amazonaws.com/shared/apis-json/apis-json-logo.jpg
baseURL: https://sandbox.api.service.nhs.uk/gp-connect-update-record-fhir
humanURL: https://digital.nhs.uk/developer/api-catalogue/gp-connect-update-record-fhir
description: Send structured FHIR data to update a patient's GP record with medications, encounters, and observations. Currently
approved for pharmacy use cases, including informing a GP that a patient has been prescribed antibiotics or had their
blood pressure checked at a pharmacy. In development. Requires HSCN connectivity and Spine Directory Service (SDS) compliance.
properties:
- type: Documentation
url: https://digital.nhs.uk/developer/api-catalogue/gp-connect-update-record-fhir
- type: OpenAPI
url: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NHSDigital/gp-connect-update-record-fhir/master/specification/gp-connect-update-record-fhir.yaml
- type: GitHub
url: https://github.com/NHSDigital/gp-connect-update-record-fhir
- aid: gp-connect:patient-facing-access-record-fhir
name: GP Connect Patient Facing Access Record FHIR API
tags:
- FHIR STU3
- Patient Facing
- Patient Records
- Medications
- Allergies
- Immunisations
- NHS Login
- NHS App
image: https://kinlane-images.s3.amazonaws.com/shared/apis-json/apis-json-logo.jpg
baseURL: https://sandbox.api.service.nhs.uk/gp-connect/patient-facing/access-record-fhir/FHIR/STU3
humanURL: https://digital.nhs.uk/developer/api-catalogue/gp-connect-patient-facing-access-record-fhir
description: Allow patients to access structured and coded information from their own GP practice record via a patient-facing
application. Retrieves medications, allergies, immunisations, consultations, problems, investigations, and reviewed documents
in accordance with the patient's permission level set at their GP practice. Requires NHS login at P9 identity verification
level. Uses OpenID Connect and OAuth 2.0. Currently available to New Market Entrant GP system suppliers and the NHS App.
In production.
properties:
- type: Documentation
url: https://digital.nhs.uk/developer/api-catalogue/gp-connect-patient-facing-access-record-fhir
- type: OpenAPI
url: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NHSDigital/gp-connect-access-record-fhir/master/specification/gp-connect-access-record-fhir.yaml
- type: Sandbox
url: https://sandbox.api.service.nhs.uk/gp-connect/patient-facing/access-record-fhir/FHIR/STU3
- type: GitHub
url: https://github.com/NHSDigital/gp-connect-access-record-fhir
- aid: gp-connect:patient-facing-appointments-management-fhir
name: GP Connect Patient Facing Appointment Management FHIR API
tags:
- FHIR STU3
- Patient Facing
- Appointments
- Slot Management
- Booking
- NHS Login
- NHS App
image: https://kinlane-images.s3.amazonaws.com/shared/apis-json/apis-json-logo.jpg
baseURL: https://sandbox.api.service.nhs.uk/gp-connect/patient-facing/appointments-management-fhir/FHIR/STU3
humanURL: https://digital.nhs.uk/developer/api-catalogue/gp-connect-patient-facing-appointment-management-fhir
description: Allow patients to book and manage their own appointments at their GP practice via a patient-facing application.
Supports searching for free slots, booking appointments, retrieving existing appointments, and cancelling appointments.
Patients cannot amend or reschedule; they must cancel and re-book. Requires NHS login at P9 identity verification level.
Currently not available for new consumer onboarding; in development.
properties:
- type: Documentation
url: https://digital.nhs.uk/developer/api-catalogue/gp-connect-patient-facing-appointment-management-fhir
- type: OpenAPI
url: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NHSDigital/gp-connect-appointments-management-fhir/master/specification/gp-connect-appointments-management-fhir.yaml
- type: Sandbox
url: https://sandbox.api.service.nhs.uk/gp-connect/patient-facing/appointments-management-fhir/FHIR/STU3
- type: GitHub
url: https://github.com/NHSDigital/gp-connect-appointments-management-fhir
- aid: gp-connect:patient-facing-prescriptions-management-fhir
name: GP Connect Patient Facing Prescriptions Management FHIR API
tags:
- FHIR R4
- Patient Facing
- Prescriptions
- Medications
- Repeat Prescriptions
- NHS Login
- NHS App
- UK Core
image: https://kinlane-images.s3.amazonaws.com/shared/apis-json/apis-json-logo.jpg
baseURL: https://sandbox.api.service.nhs.uk/gp-connect/patient-facing/prescriptions-management-fhir/FHIR/R4
humanURL: https://digital.nhs.uk/developer/api-catalogue/gp-connect-patient-facing-prescriptions-fhir
description: Allow patients to manage repeat prescriptions held by their GP practice via a patient-facing application. Supports
requesting a new instance of a repeat prescription, checking the status of a current prescription request, and requesting
a new instance to a one-off nomination pharmacy. Conforms to FHIR R4 (v4.0.1) and UK Core STU2 1.1.3. Requires NHS login
at P9 identity verification level. Silver service (24/7, business-hours support). In development; sandbox available.
properties:
- type: Documentation
url: https://digital.nhs.uk/developer/api-catalogue/gp-connect-patient-facing-prescriptions-fhir
- type: OpenAPI
url: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/NHSDigital/gp-connect-prescriptions-management-fhir/master/specification/gp-connect-prescriptions-management-fhir.yaml
- type: Sandbox
url: https://sandbox.api.service.nhs.uk/gp-connect/patient-facing/prescriptions-management-fhir/FHIR/R4
- type: Postman
url: https://god.gw.postman.com/run-collection/34036044-3c90d3e4-24ec-4a09-867e-26da1516ee61?action=collection%2Ffork&source=rip_markdown&collection-url=entityId%3D34036044-3c90d3e4-24ec-4a09-867e-26da1516ee61%26entityType%3Dcollection%26workspaceId%3Dbad72f85-20d6-41c3-bd55-f30bf83f8c63
- type: GitHub
url: https://github.com/NHSDigital/gp-connect-prescriptions-management-fhir
common:
- type: Portal
url: https://digital.nhs.uk/services/gp-connect
- type: Documentation
url: https://digital.nhs.uk/developer/api-catalogue
- type: HelpAndSupport
url: https://digital.nhs.uk/developer/help-and-support
- type: Signup
url: https://digital.nhs.uk/services/gp-connect/develop-gp-connect-services/specifications-for-developers
- type: Authentication
url: https://digital.nhs.uk/developer/guides-and-documentation/security-and-authorisation/user-restricted-restful-apis-nhs-login-separate-authentication-and-authorisation
- type: GettingStarted
url: https://digital.nhs.uk/services/gp-connect/develop-gp-connect-services/specifications-for-developers
- type: GitHub
url: https://github.com/NHSDigital
- type: Standards
url: https://standards.nhs.uk/published-standards/gp-connect-access-record-structured-fhir-api
- type: Sandbox
url: https://orange.testlab.nhs.uk/
- type: ServiceLevel
url: https://digital.nhs.uk/developer/guides-and-documentation/reference-guide#service-levels
- type: NetworkAccess
url: https://digital.nhs.uk/developer/guides-and-documentation/network-access-for-apis
- type: ClinicalSafety
url: https://digital.nhs.uk/services/clinical-safety
- type: Plans
url: plans/gp-connect-plans.yml
- type: RateLimits
url: rate-limits/gp-connect-rate-limits.yml
- type: FinOps
url: finops/gp-connect-finops.yml
x-headquarters: Leeds, England, UK
x-parent: NHS England
x-funding: Publicly funded (NHS England)
maintainers:
- FN: Kin Lane
email: kin@apievangelist.com