Obtaining and using Smartcards

Single Sign On (SSO) access utilises a Smartcard. Each workstation has a Smartcard reader and every member of staff, a Smartcard. There is a 12 to 14 digit Unique Identifier (UID) associated with each card and a passcode or PIN is set to use it.

Smartcards are obtained from the Registration Authority (RA), normally your (Undefined variable: General.Integrated Care Boards), who register you as an authorised user of the spine. The RA acts on the entries made on form RA01 by a designated sponsor within your practice.

The card authenticates your access to the national services, it has your unique identifier and your role profile(s) incorporated. Your role profile is set with a baseline of functions that are suitable for the role, for example, a GP can prescribe, but a nurse cannot. However, the sponsor on the RA01 form can allocate additional Business Functions to a role, for example, a GP can have the additional business function of initiating eReferral referrals.

There is no organisation name printed on a Smartcard, this facilitates staff using just one card across multiple setting and when transferring between organisations. Each user is assigned one role profile for each clinical setting they work in so that, should they have more than one role, they have a separate Area of Work for each, for example, a GP may have a Primary Care role and if they also work at a local hospital, they have a different Secondary Care role there.