Mosaic search
Get NHS number uses Surname, Forename, DoB, gender.
Verify NHS number uses NHS number and DoB (from Mosaic 20.1.1.1, Forename and Surname are also included in the Verify NHS number request – further details below).
Quicksilva search
Quicksilva have provided the following details on the orQestra® matching process:
orQestra® supports two search strings (as specified/required by NHS Digital).
If the NHS number is present, the NHS Number and DoB are used to trace PDS.
If no NHS Number is present, surname, DoB and gender is used to trace.
Other information provided used if available – forename, postcode (partial, full, or geographical) – This is Quicksilva recommended search criteria.
If no match is found on Spine using the criteria above, then orQestra® will go into Advanced Trace mode (depending on the search criteria provided, orQestra® will send a number of Advanced Trace message to Spine in an attempt to return a single match in PDS, this is a unique trace algorithm approved by NHS Digital).
In this instance orQestra® will remove the forename and used surname, DoB, gender and postcode (optional) to trace.
📌 Note: As postcode is optional and Mosaic doesn’t provide this, only Surname, DoB and gender will be passed in the case of an Advanced Search which may result in the wrong record being returned where the correct one does not exist.
Customers can raise a New Feature Request AHA to update Mosaic to ensure that postcode is included in their PDS requests where possible, if no NHS Number present. This will mitigate the very small likelihood of false positives being returned but will require the person address to be the same on both Mosaic and PDS.
A change to Mosaic to include postcode was considered but there were concerns, from Mosaic Product and Development Leads and some customers, that this may result in fewer matches where the address does not match due to one system having outdated details.
Customers should ensure there are processes in place for their users to report and resolve discrepancies with data returned from PDS. There is an NHS Digital Spine-Mini-Services requirement in the TOM document that states the deploying organisation must put back-office processes in place for when this scenario occurs. (in Mosaic the compare option can be used to review the record returned from the Spine and confirm if it is a match).
Mosaic 20.1.1.1 Change to Verify
Previously, where an NHS number was manually added to a Mosaic person record, then it was verified by supplying the NHS number and Date of Birth to the Spine. Once verified the ‘Verify NHS number’ link would remain but would change function to compare the NHS data with what is held in Mosaic, so the wording of the link was misleading. Once the NHS number has been verified, the hyperlink is updated.