Identity verification

There are two levels of verification available on NHS login: 

1. Medium level verification. The patient provides their NHS number, date of birth and the postcode of their home address as registered with their GP practice. This level of access does not allow access to personal information, services like appointments or prescription ordering or health records on the App. 
2. High level verification. The patient must prove who they are with a valid photo ID and face scan or video or use the Welsh Identity Verification Service. At this level, patients can access all the services your practice makes available online, including appointments, prescriptions and health records. 

All patients over the age of 13 can create or use an existing  medium level verification  NHS login to sign into the NHS Wales App. At this level, patients can use all general NHS Wales services available in the App, such as NHS 111 Wales and Organ and Blood donation.  

When any level of verified NHS login exists, this will be linked automatically to their online services account in the GP practice system. 

Patients must be 16 or over to create and use a high level verification NHS login. 

Patients with high level verification NHS login can access all general NHS Wales services and all GP services that their practice makes available on the NHS Wales App, such as appointments, prescription ordering and access to their health record. 

Find out more about NHS login rules of use 

Welsh Identity Verification Service

The Welsh Identity Verification Service (WIVS) allows patients who do not have NHS login photo identity, such as a passport or driving licence, to get verified at the higher level.  Patients will need this to use NHS login to access features from the GP online services in the NHS Wales App.

This service will allow a patient’s identity to be verified at their practice. There's a step on NHS login for a patient to choose how they will confirm who they are. The patient will select “an identity verification letter from my GP practice.” The patient will go to their practice and be asked to complete the WIVS application form to have their identity verified. They'll then be given an identity verification letter they can use to verify themselves on the App.

Download the WIVS application form

Verifying someone’s identity

There are 2 ways the practice can verify a patient’s identity: 

1. Identification by Vouching    

The person doing face-to-face vouching should be a health professional. This will include any person employed to deliver health and care services such as the practice manager. This will also include clinicians such as a GP or practice nurse who are authorised to access the health record and can link the patient to that record.   

In cases where an individual is not well known by practice staff, only a clinician can verify their identity. They may choose to accept such evidence as they think necessary to ensure they can vouch for the patient.   

2. Identification by Documentation 

Your practice must compare the identity of the patient in person to make sure there's a clear link between the identification received, the person, and their health record. Details of the type of document accepted as identification should be noted on the appropriate section of the form. 

There are specific rules about copying some documents, so practice staff should take note of which documents they've seen. The relevant form can be uploaded to the practice system instead of the identification documents. 

At least one photo identification document should be provided as part of the identity process. They must be original documents in paper format. You cannot accept digital copies of documents. Patients will need to provide:   

• one piece of evidence from column A and one piece of evidence from column B or C, or
• two pieces of evidence from column B or C

The table below shows the accepted evidence as contained in the standard issued by Welsh Government.