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NHS Data Search & Export

NHS Data Search & Export

System Category

Health

Source

Syndicated by Astun Data Services

Available since

2010

Organisation

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NHS Data Search & Export (DSE) (previously NHS Choices) provides public access to health service-related information via the web. This includes name, address, postcode, location and URL information for individual services (pharmacies, opticians, hospitals, doctors and dentists). Furthermore, the URLs added to the data link to a host of additional information, for example, contact information and opening times.

The Astun Data Services (ADS) NHS DSE service essentially acts as a central repository for the NHS data for England and Wales. This links seamlessly with the iShare platform, allowing NHS service information to be displayed on map layers.

Please note: This data is supplied by NHS England via NHS Data Search & Export. If you feel that any data is missing please liaise directly with NHS England.

Please note: This syndicated feed contains only those records from the NHS Data Search and Export portal that have an associated UPRN. If you want to include a disclaimer for your users, we recommend following the steps presented in Add metadata to Standard (OGC) Layers

For iShare in the Cloud customers the Workflow for downloading and configuring the NHS DSE data is preconfigured.

Why ADS?

  • ADS requests all data for England & Wales once a month, so ADS is always in sync with NHS Data

  • ‘One stop shop’ for all authorities using the iShare platform

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  1. Astun accesses the NHS DSE Portal and runs import searches for each dataset (GPs, Dentists, Opticians, Hospitals, Pharmacies)

  2. Exports each dataset as a CSV file

  3. Imports the CSV data into the table in the iShare Database (ensuring only relevant columns are imported)

  4. The data is enriched by:

    1. joining imported data with OS Open UPRN data to add coordinates (Latitude, Longitude, Easting, Northing)

    2. creating geometry columns for spatial queries

    3. building NHS/111 Wales URLs for each record (with logic for Welsh vs. England URLs, using the NHS country information)

  5. The metadata is updated for the feeds

  6. The data is made available to customers via the existing WFS feed

  7. iShare Maps and iShare GIS Studio administrators request the latest data via their Workflow Connection to the WFS feed. The iShare Maps and iShare GIS Studio facilities allow the NHS England data to be displayed, as individual layers, on customer-facing websites and intranet systems.

  8. The NHS England data can be displayed using other 3rd party GIS software, such as Quantum GIS (QGIS) - see WFS Client Connection Examples for details.