GP Connect Send Document

This guidance is under active development by NHS Digital and content may be added or updated on a regular basis.
This version of GP Connect Send Document supports one use-case which is a Consultation Summary (PDF).
Additional use-cases are expected to be supported in 2023.

How to configure MESH

This section assumes you're already familiar with MESH and contains information about how to populate the MESH configuration.

If you'd like to find out more about MESH, please see Using MESH.

Important: The preferred method for sending documents is via the MESH API. This is because the MESH API is more easily integrated into sending systems.

The MESH client can be used to send the message, but the MESH API Address Lookup is still required if sending to an alternative care provider.

Message routing to registered practice can be used only if sending to the patient’s registered GP practice.

MESH message routing

  • all messages sent through to a GP practice MUST use MESH automated message routing in order to ensure that the message is routed correctly to the registered practice of the patient

Workflow groups and ID

  • all consultation reports MUST use the MESH workflow ID: GPFED_CONSULT_REPORT
  • an acknowledgement message generated as a result of receipt of a consultation report message MUST include the following Workflow ID in the MESH message metadata: GPFED_CONSULT_REPORT_ACK

MESH client configuration

When using the MESH client to send a message to the MESH server, the .CTL file will contain the following metadata about the message:

  • Version MUST be the version of the document that is being sent - for example, the initial version will be 1, and subsequent versions of updated / replaced documents will increment by 1

  • From_DTS MUST contain the MESH mailbox ID of the sender of the message – for example, the originating organisation

  • To_DTS MUST contain the NHS Number, DOB and Surname of the patient delimited by the underscore character _. This enables automatic routing of the message to the registered GP MESH mailbox

  • Subject MUST contain To text in the following format: [document-title] for [patient-name], NHS Number: [nhs-number], seen at [location-name], [ods-code], Version: [version-number]

  • LocalID MUST contain the ODS code of the sending organisation

Example

<DTSControl>
    <Version>1</Version>
    <AddressType>DTS</AddressType>
    <MessageType>Data</MessageType>
    <From_DTS>GP0001</From_DTS>
    <To_DTS>GPPROVIDER_4857773456_09011955_Mowers</To_DTS>
    <Subject>Consultation report for patient: Mrs Lorne Mowers, NHS Number: 485 777 3456, seen at: Grass Heights GP Practice, GP0001, Version: 1</Subject>
    <LocalId>GP0001</LocalId>
    <DTSId></DTSId>
    <PartnerId></PartnerId>
    <Compress>Y</Compress>
    <Encrypted>N</Encrypted>
    <WorkflowId>GPFED_CONSULT_REPORT</WorkflowId>
    <ProcessId></ProcessId>
    <DataChecksum></DataChecksum>
    <IsCompressed>Y</IsCompressed>
</DTSControl>

MESH API configuration

When using the MESH API the Send Message API call will be used by a practice API client to send a message to the MESH server. MESH metadata items are defined in HTTP header fields as described below:

  • Version MUST be the version of the document that is being sent - for example, the initial version will be 1, and subsequent versions of updated / replaced documents will increment by 1

  • From_DTS MUST contain the MESH mailbox ID of the sender of the message – for example, the originating organisation

  • To_DTS MUST contain the NHS Number, DOB and Surname of the patient delimited by the underscore character _. This enables automatic routing of the message to the registered GP MESH mailbox

  • Subject MUST contain To text in the following format: [document-title] for [patient-name], NHS Number: [nhs-number], seen at [practice-name], ODS code: [ods-code]

  • LocalID MUST contain the ODS code of the sending organisation

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