Obtaining and using Smartcards

Single Sign On (SSO) access is by means of a Smartcard. Each workstation is provided with a Smartcard reader and each member of staff with a Smartcard. There is a 12 to 14 digit Unique Identifier (UID) associated with each card, and you are issued with a passcode or PIN to use the card. The gold chip holds all the information.

These cards are obtained for you in the first instance from the Registration Authority, normally your CCG, who register you as a user of the spine. The Registration Authority acts on the entries made on form RA01 by a sponsor within the practice.

The card authenticates your access to the national services and has your unique identifier and your role profile(s). Each user is assigned one role profile. This has a baseline of functions that are suitable for that role, for example, a GP can prescribe, but a nurse cannot. The sponsor on the RA01 form can allocate additional business functions to a role, for instance, a GP can have the additional business function of initiating eReferral referrals.

There is no organisation name printed on issued Smartcards to allow staff to use existing cards when transferring between organisations and for improved security. It is possible for a user to have more than one role, if they have a separate Area of Work. For general practice, the Area of Work is deemed Primary Care and those working in the practice have ONE role within that Area of Work. If a GP also works at a local hospital, then that is a separate Area of Work, but they can have a different role there.