Your NHS Number is unique to you and is used to help healthcare staff, including doctors and hospital staff, match you to your health records.
If you know your NHS number please use it when you contact us. NHS staff will begin to ask for your NHS number more often over the coming years.
Your NHS Number is a 10 digit number which is unique to you.
It will look something like this: 123 – 456 – 7890.
It is different from your National Insurance (NI) number, which is issued for tax and pensions. Everyone who is registered with a GP in England and Wales will have one.
You do not need to know your NHS Number to receive care, knowing and showing it can help those treating you to find your records quickly and share them safely with the other healthcare professionals who need to see them.
How to find your NHS Number
Almost all of the correspondence you receive from the NHS will now feature your NHS Number. You can also find your NHS Number printed on some prescriptions. If you don’t know your number, just ask at your GP surgery next time you visit them for an appointment.
Once you find out your NHS Number, make a note of it and save it in a safe place.
Does everyone have an NHS Number?
If you have never registered with a GP practice, you will not have an NHS Number. When you register with a local GP practice, you will be given an NHS Number as part of registration. If you have recently had a baby, he/she will have been given an NHS Number soon after birth. If your baby was born at home, you will receive an NHS Number when you register your baby’s birth.
Confidentiality
Your health records are confidential and the use of the NHS Number will not change this.
You can find out more information on confidentiality, why we collect information about you and how we keep our records secure, in our patient information leaflet.
