Version: 1.0.2 | Published: 1 Dec 2025 | Updated: 45 days ago
Medicine and Allergy/Intolerance Data Transfer
Dataset
Summary
Reference Code:
DAPB4013 Amd 5/2021
Publication Version:
1.0.0
Type:
Information standards
Effective From:
01 October 2021
Applies To:
- All NHS care locations that:
- need to know a patient’s current medicines and allergies/intolerance
- prescribe, dispense or administer medicines
- use computer systems that could send or receive this information
- This includes acute, ambulance, community, mental health, specialist trusts, GP practices and community pharmacies
Impacts On:
Implementation of this information standard impacts all health IT systems
suppliers providing systems to the above providers; suppliers should work with
their customers to determine necessary changes.
Conformance Date:
31 March 2023
Topics:
- Dispensing
- Messaging
- Pharmacy, Medicines and Prescribing
Care Settings:
- Ambulance (Urgent and Emergency Care)
- Community health
- GP / Primary care
- Hospital
- Mental health
- Pharmacy
Publication Date:
30 September 2021
Contact Point
Contact Point:
Documentation
Description:
NHS Digital Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) and specifications provide the definitions, including:
- how the send and receive messages are constructed
- how the data within is structured so that it is machinereadable.
The purpose is to ensure that medication and allergy and/or intolerance data is transferred between systems and locations in a machine-readable format. This will be achieved by:
- transferring medication information using the newest UK version of FHIR (Fast Healthcare Interoperability Resources)
- the usage of dose syntax to transfer the amount of medication per dose as a simple coded quantity
- transferring allergy/intolerance information using SNOMED CT and dm+d codes.
Note that it is not assumed that all in-scope locations will implement the standard by 31 March 2023; there will be leeway for those organisations which need to procure and install a suitable IT system.
Relations:
The following are related resources:
Name:Electronic Prescription Service - FHIR API
Name:Terminology Server API
Explanation:Use this API to retrieve terminologies and classifications from the NHS Digital
Terminology Server.
Name:Dose syntax
Explanation:Use this API standard to provide a structured way to record dosage instructions
between primary and secondary care settings.
Name:GP Connect Access Record Structured - FHIR API
Name:Electronic Prescribing and Medicines Administration API standards (ePMA)
Explanation:Use this specification to develop an API to share medication requests between
ePMA systems and hospital pharmacy stock control systems.
Dependencies:
This standard needs to be reviewed and implemented alongside the standards below:
Name:Care Connect FHIR API standards
Explanation:Use these API standards for FHIR STU3 England specific profiles.
Name:eDischarge summary v2.1
Name:Dictionary of Medicines and Devices
Name:UK Core Implementation Guide 1.0.0 - STU1
Explanation:Use these API standards for FHIR R4 United Kingdom specific profiles.
Name:SNOMED CT
Review & Status
Sponsor:
Fintan Grant, Programme Head – Interoperable Medicines, NHS Digital
Approval Date:
30 September 2021
Business Lead:
Andrew Walsham, Senior Project Manager - Interoperable Medicine Standards, NHS Digital
Post Implementation Review Date:
31 March 2024
Scope:
Health Services, NHS Services
SRO:
Ann Slee, Associate Chief Clinical Information Officer (Medicines), NHSX
Technical Committee:
Data Alliance Partnership Board (DAPB)
Dataset Identifier:
f260bb95-26e8-4316-8845-c4a6aa0cf7cf
Mandated:
Yes
Status:
active
Legal Authority 1
Legal Authority:
Section 250 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012
Legal Authority Description:
This information standard is published under section 250 of the Health and
Social Care Act 2012
Origin
Name:
NHSE-SD Data Catalogue