Introduction

Introduction to GP Connect API

Summary: A brief introduction to getting started with the GP Connect FHIR® APIs

The GP Connect vision

GP Connect aims to support better clinical care by opening up information and data held within GP Practice IT systems for use across health and social care. The GP Connect vision will be achieved by standardising integration and simplifying the operating model.

Find out more on the NHS Digital GP Connect homepage.

Background

Capabilities

A capability is an area of focus for the GP Connect APIs. There are several initial capabilities defined.

Become an API consumer

If you’re planning on consuming data using GP Connect APIs then you’re a consumer system.

Become an API provider

If you’re planning on providing data using GP Connect APIs then you’re a provider system.

  1. Get started Read about the GP Connect Priority capabilities. Look through the design decisions made so far in relation to each capability pack (Foundations, Access Record HTML and Appointment Management) and get involved: SELECTED / DECISION A decision has been made for first release. ASSUMPTION An assumption has been made which is under review/needs validated.
  2. Explore Try out the GP Connect Demonstrator system. Optionally download the GP Connect Demonstrator Codebase to see how it works. Download our PostMan Collection and explore the GP Connect interactions.
  3. Develop Familiarise yourself with HL7® FHIR® (developer introduction, executive summary, or clinical intro). Grab an open source FHIR development library for your favourite programming language. If you are a consumer, decide which wire format to use (JSON or XML) Important: Consumers planning their development should read the following information before choosing whether to use JSON or XML in their implementation. Familiarise yourself with our GP Connect FHIR API guidance common to all APIs. Explore the GP Connect profiled FHIR resources, a variation of the international FHIR resources, for Foundations, Access Record HTML, Access Record Structured, Access Document, and Appointment Management. Dig in deep and explore one or more of the GP Connect capability packs and start building new or hitting existing APIs. Foundations (e.g. resolve a patient to their logical identifier for further API calls). Note the foundation per-requisites are mandatory. Access Record HTML (e.g. Access HTML views from the primary care record). Access Record Structured (e.g. Access structured data from the primary care record). Access Document (e.g. Access documents from the primary care record). Appointment Management (e.g. Book an appointment for a patient). Finally take a look at cross-cutting areas: JSON Web Token - Provides Cross organisation audit and provenance details. Additional HTTP headers and proxy URL - This gives you access to the Spine Secure Proxy, the secure ‘front door’ of GP Connect APIs. Configure HTTPS and TLS/MA - Security guidance allows you to secure and mutually authenticate your service with the Spine (which refers to two parties authenticating each other at the same time).
  4. Assure Read about the Provider testing and Consumer testing process.
  5. Deploy Become a first of type deployment - see below to get in touch with the GP Connect programme. Provide feedback To provide feedback on the GP Connect specification please send an email to the GP Connect Team Inbox.

Some early feedback on the May 2016 release of the GP Connect draft specification can be found on the OpenHealthHub forum (OpenHealthHub has now closed) under the category of “FHIR Implementation”.

Community engagement The Open API ecosystem GP Connect is part of a wider initiative to expose standards based Open APIs to promote innovation and improve care across the NHS.

INTEROPen GP Connect FHIR profiles specified within this site have been developed by NHS Digital and where available use CareConnect profiles created in collaboration with the INTEROPen community.

The INTEROPen vision is to create a library of nationally defined HL7® FHIR® resources and interaction patterns that implementers can adopt to simplify integration and interoperability within England’s health and social care systems. Find out more on the INTEROPen website

Timescales, benefits and more The content here is designed for a technical audience (that is, developers, architects and data scientists). For other details, such as the vision, timescales, business benefits and case studies, please see the NHS Digital GP Connect homepage.