Shirley Devonishsigned off Q4 2024 cohort15 records
14 Jan 2025, 10:30
James Brousilcorrected diagnosis onMK-11012024-01
9 Jan 2025, 16:51
Help & Guidance
How can we help?
UKCN dataset definitions, platform guides & FAQs
Frequently Asked
How are patients identified without using names?
Each patient is given an ID built from their initials, date of birth, and a local sequence number — for example JS-15032024-01. The platform never stores the patient's name or NHS Number; your hospital keeps the link between this ID and the patient's clinical record on your own system.
What if a child has the same initials and DOB as another patient?
The trailing sequence number handles this — twins, for example, would be JS-15032024-01 and JS-15032024-02. The platform warns you when a possible match is detected, but the sequence number keeps every ID unique within your centre.
How does my data get to UKCN?
Automatically. Once you save a patient record, it's included in your centre's report, your regional rollup, and the national dataset in real time. There's no end-of-year collation, no spreadsheet upload, and no email attachments.
Can other hospitals see my patients?
No. Each hospital can only see its own patient-level records. Regional and national views show only aggregated, anonymised totals — never individual patient data from other centres.
Where is the data stored?
In the United Kingdom, on infrastructure that meets the NHS Data Security and Protection Toolkit (DSPT) standard. A Data Processing Agreement is in place with each participating Trust.
Can I edit or delete a record after saving?
Yes — but every change is logged with timestamp, user, and the specific field that changed. Deletion is soft (a record is hidden but retained in the audit history) and requires audit lead approval.
What if I lose internet connection mid-entry?
The wizard saves progress at the end of each step. If you lose connection, your partial entry is held locally and synced as soon as you're back online.
For urgent clinical queries about a specific patient, contact your hospital's audit lead directly. UKCN central does not hold patient-identifiable data.