Applying the national data opt-out to searches in EMIS Web
To include or exclude patients who have opted out of sharing their data beyond individual care and treatment, you can apply the national data opt-out (NDOP) filter when running patient searches. This helps protect patient confidentiality and ensures your organisation remains compliant with NHS England guidelines.
How to apply the NDOP filter
- Go to Population Reporting: From the EMIS Web menu, select Reporting, then choose Population Reporting.
- Create or edit a search: On the Population Reporting ribbon, click Add, point to Patient, then click Search. Alternatively, edit any existing search.
- Select NDOP filter: In the search properties, tick the Opt out option. This excludes any patients who have chosen to opt out from the search results.
- Fill in required fields: When you apply this filter, the Description and Recipients fields become mandatory. Provide a clear purpose for the search.
- Save and run your search: If NDOP is enabled for your organisation, opted-out patients will be removed automatically from the output.
"Saving time and staying compliant: By simply ticking the national data opt-out filter, you ensure your search results only include patients that have not opted out, helping you manage disclosures confidently."
Verifying compliance
Run the NDOP Audit (found under System Tools > Audit Trails > NDOP Audit) to check and document where, when, and how the NDOP filter was applied. This keeps a record of excluded patients and supports Data Controller obligations.
