How to Synchronise Patient Details with PDS
When you access a patient’s record in EMIS Web using a smartcard, EMIS Web checks that patient’s details against the Personal Demographics Service (PDS). If any differences are detected, the PDS icon in the patient précis turns red.
“We recommend dealing with PDS differences promptly, as you can only use NHS England functionality for patients who are synchronised with PDS.”
Synchronisation Steps
- Log on with a smartcard: Ensure you have the necessary RBAC permission (B0825) to amend patient demographics.
- Identify mismatches: If you see a red PDS icon in the patient précis, click it to open the PDS Patient Differences screen.
- Confirm correct details: Check each field carefully. Choose which information is correct, or edit the data if needed (for example, if a date of birth or address is incorrect).
- Apply changes: If you’re sure of the right details, update EMIS Web and PDS by clicking OK. The PDS icon should turn blue when complete.
- Handle complex cases: If core demographic details like date of birth or date of death are in dispute, the patient may temporarily become decoupled from the Spine. Contact the PDS National Back Office if the discrepancy cannot be resolved locally.
Additional Tip
If you want to keep patient email or mobile details automatically updated, EMIS Web can be configured to auto-sync certain contact information from the NHS app. Your organisation must enable this feature in the Organisation Configuration settings.
