Our purpose

The NHS Federated Data Platform connects vital health information across the NHS, helping staff deliver better care for patients and work more efficiently.

We believe…

A connected NHS will allow teams to deliver their services seamlessly with patients at the heart.

What is it?

The NHS Federated Data Platform is a foundational data infrastructure with distinct components:

• core infrastructure: the platform primarily connects existing systems and data, breaking down silos to create a unified view of information
• product solutions: specific applications built on the platform address particular challenges like ‘waiting list management’ and ‘discharge planning’
• analytical capabilities: the platform provides tools to analyse connected data, helping identify patterns and opportunities for improvement

How does it work?

Each NHS organisation, for example a trust or integrated care board (ICB), will have their own ‘instance’ of the NHS Federated Data Platform for which they are the data controller and NHS England is responsible for the national instance.

Organisations with an NHS Federated Data Platform instance will have the ability to connect and share information between them and in relation to any personal information, where data protection law allows it. For example, to discharge a patient from hospital into a care setting.

The national NHS England instance serves as a replacement for multiple legacy systems, and delivering accurate, near-real-time data to inform strategic and operational planning.

If data is shared nationally for planning, then separate privacy enhancing technology is used to remove personable identifiable information such as a patient’s name and NHS number.

More detail on the individual instances and the full architecture that makes us the NHS Federated Data Platform is available here: NHS England » NHS Federated Data Platform infrastructure.