The Organisation Data Service (ODS) code is the unique identifying code used by the NHS for various purposes, including supporting national NHS IT systems, such as EPS. Most NHS providers have an ODS code and for pharmacies, it is a five-character code beginning with the letter F. It appears at the top of the pharmacy’s schedule of payments monthly document that is received from the NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA). It has previously been known as OCS, NACS or F codes.

If your pharmacy’s ODS code is changed or deactivated, the following are affected:

• NHSBSA payments to the contractor;
• connectivity to NHS Services, e.g. use of EPS;
• EPS patient nomination settings and the eRD (Electronic Repeat Dispensing service) cycle;
• NHS Smartcards need updating by the Registration Authority (RA);
• NHSmail;
• NHS Choices listing of the pharmacy; and,
• your pharmacy PMR system.

Planning well in advance of the change, by the contractor, the PMR system supplier and the NHS, is necessary to avoid disruption to patients, services and your payments.

Your ODS code may not need to change in some scenarios. Read more at the change of circumstance guide/checklist.

PSNC recommends that pharmacy contractors planning changes of circumstance work through all of the checklist below as well as giving the local NHS England team a minimum of one month’s notice of the planned date for the change:

PSNC Briefing: Change of pharmacy circumstance guide/checklist: ODS codes and planning required should your ODS code change

See: NHS Digital’s ODS portal.

The ODS portal enables you to check the ODS portal entry for your own pharmacy or look-up another organisation by ODS code or name or address.

PSNC’s Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPTK) guidance materials includes Checking pharmacies linked to HQ code using ODS portal factsheet.

Your pharmacy NHS Parent Organisation Code (POC) code is the pharmacy’s unique identifying code for the parent organisation. Every pharmacy contractor has a POC even if there is one pharmacy within the organisation. If your pharmacy organisation has more than one pharmacy within it, each of them should be connected to your POC code. If there are changes to ownership, you may need to request that the pharmacy moves to the correct POC code.

POCs are used for various things reporting, Manage Your Service (MYS), and more in future.

The Organisation Data Service (ODS) code is the unique identifying code used by the NHS for various purposes, including supporting national NHS IT systems, such as EPS. Most NHS providers have an ODS code and for pharmacies, it is a four-or-five-character code, usually but not always beginning with the letter ‘P’. It may contain numbers and letters. NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) will use the POC to support the reporting for pharmacy contractors. Other NHS agencies also use POCs to help group data which is published to help pharmacy contractors .

The POC also groups pharmacies so that one Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPTK)  submission can be made for all pharmacies within the POC.

Your ODS/ownership code may need to change in some scenarios and in which case your POC may also need to be requested to be changed. Read more at the change of circumstance guide/checklist.

In some circumstances you may need to make changes to the POC code of some pharmacies. Contractors should use usual process i.e. request corrections to POCs by contacting exeter.helpdesk@nhs.net.

Read more: PSNC’s POC webpage.

Q. If the pharmacy ODS code changes, what actions are to be taken so that EPS and NHS IT will function smoothly for the pharmacy following the change?

Read more at the change of circumstance guide/checklist.

Q. How do I speed the process for my pharmacy being listed as EPS-ready following an ODS change?

It is important to claim for a script immediately after your supplier changes the local configuration to the new ODS code (occurs shortly after NHS Digital migrate EPS nominations). This triggers the new ODS code to be flagged as EPS live on the NHSBSA system. This change will occur on the first Wednesday after the claim, and NHS website will be updated, with the ODS code showing as EPS live the Monday following (please note this time lag). PMR suppliers have advised PSNC they support a real or test script being sent by them or the contractor swiftly (within a working day). If you believe the new ODS code is not yet appearing on NHS website after this time lag, contact your system supplier who may escalate this issue to NHS Digital.

Q. If ownership and ODS changes how will the EPS nominations be transferred?

Nominations are set for patients against a pharmacy’s ODS code, so where there is a new ODS code, these must be migrated manually by NHS Digital. It is vital that you give at least one month’s notice of the date of the opening, change of ownership or ordinary relocation that will trigger this. It is also important to inform patients about changes:

• Where there is a change of ownership, the new contractor must according to the terms of service (i) explain to each patient that the ownership of the pharmacy premises has changed and (ii) ask each patient if he or she wishes to maintain the nomination for the pharmacy premises. That can be done before the change where possible or within six months of the change of ownership.
• For pharmacy relocations, contractors may be asked to confirm that patients have been informed and this information might be shared with NHS Digital to request migration of EPS nominations.
• For pharmacy consolidations, the assurances that patients have been informed is part of the commencement notice for the consolidated business.

You can check the pharmacy’s total number of nominations prior to the ODS code change by referring to the ‘Nominations by dispenser’ spreadsheet downloadable at the NHS Digital website. Usually your system supplier will liaise with NHS Digital to schedule the migration for an appropriate time, if it has been approved.

Q. How will my pharmacy be listed on the NHS website and marked EPS-ready there?

Check that the pharmacy’s profile information is updated if the ownership or address changes. Note there will be a time lag of around 10 days until the changes occur and NHS website information is updated. If this has not happened after this time, report this to your system supplier. If this cannot then be resolved, ensure your supplier has escalated this issue to NHS Digital. During the time lag, GP practices will not be able to nominate the new code. However, you can set EPS nominations yourselves during that time.

Q. Following a recent ODS code, and my pharmacy listing being updated at the NHS website, my local GP practice still can’t see my pharmacy listed yet and set an EPS nomination for my pharmacy?

See the questions above on the process for nomination transfer and getting the NHS website listing updated. Following the change to NHS website, the EPS nominations list within the clinical systems at nearby GP practices should also be updated. If this is not the case, the GP may need to update their system, requesting support from their IT support or system supplier if required.

Q. I am changing system supplier. Does this impact my use of my ODS code?

Many of the same issues need to be considered with an IT system change. The key way to help minimise any impact when there is a change of system, is to inform outgoing and incoming system suppliers with sufficient notice and a date for the change to take place. System suppliers should also be able to assist contractors complete the change of IT systems. Consider dual running options, and how to prevent partially processed prescriptions being left on the old system. Read more at the change of circumstance guide/checklist.

Q. I am closing my pharmacy are there ODS/IT-related actions for me to consider?

If your pharmacy is closing permanently, it is important for nominations to be removed by NHS Digital in a timely manner to prevent patients’ prescriptions being sent to a closed pharmacy. You should give at least three month’s notice to NHS England before closing a pharmacy (6 months for a 100-hour pharmacy), and then inform your system supplier of the closure. It would be helpful to keep NHS England informed if there are any changes to allow them enough time to instruct NHS Digital to schedule and carry out removal of EPS nominations. You will also need to deal with partially dispensed prescriptions and the return of relevant prescriptions which have not been dispensed back to the Spine.

Read more at:

• ODS (NHS Digital)

If you have queries on this webpage or you require more information please contact it@psnc.org.uk.