Automatic Identification and Data Capture
Provides the specification and implementation guidance for achieving accurate Automatic Identification and Data Capture (AIDC) using GS1 international code numbering standards.
About this standard
- Publisher
- NHS England
- Also known as
- AIDC
- Reference code
- DAPB0108 Amd 1/2022
- Publication date
- 14/04/2022
- Publication version
- 2.0.0
- Status
- Active
Show definitions of statuses
Active. Active standards are stable, maintained and have been approved, assured or endorsed for use by qualified bodies.
Deprecated Deprecated standards are available for use and are maintained, but are being phased out, so new functionality will not be added.
Retired standards Retired standards are not being maintained or supported and should not be used.
- Standard type
- Information standards
Show definitions of standard types
Collections. A Collection is a systematic gathering of a specified selection of data or information for a particular stated purpose from existing records held within health and care systems and electronic devices.
Extractions. An extraction is a type of collection that is pulled from an operational system by the data controller and transmitted to the receiver without additional processing or transcription by the sender.
Information standards. Information standards are agreed ways of doing something, written down as a set of precise criteria so they can be used as rules, guidelines, or definitions.
Technical Standards and specifications. Technical standards and specifications specify how to make information available technically including how the data is structured and transported.
- Contact point
Link to standard
- Documentation
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- Applies to
- All NHS Trusts
- 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.
- Associated medias
- Conformance date
- 31/03/2023
- Effective from
- 14/04/2022
Topics and care settings
- Topic
- Continuity of care
- Key care information
- Reference data
- Care setting
- Community health
- Hospital
- Maternity
- Mental health
- Pharmacy
- Transport / Infrastructure
- Urgent and Emergency Care
Dependencies and related standards
- Dependencies
This standard needs to be reviewed and implemented alongside the NHS Data Model and Dictionary.
- Related standards
- GS1 General Specifications, Release 21.0.1
- GS1 DataMatrix Guidelines, Release 2.5.1
- GS1 Healthcare GTIN Allocation Rules, Release 10.0
- GS1 GLN Allocation Rules Standard, Release 3.0.1
- GS1 EPC Tag Data Standard, Release 1.13
- NHS Number ISB 0149
- Clinical Risk Management: its Application in the Deployment and Use of Health IT Systems DCB0160
- Clinical Risk Management: its Application in the Manufacture of Health IT Systems DCB0129
- Global Medical Device Nomenclature (GMDN) DAPB4004
- Automatic Identification and Data Capture for Patient Identification DCB1077
- Patient Identifiers for Identity Bands ISB0099
Review Information
- Scope
- NHS Services
- Sponsor
Ian Townend, Chief Architect – Transformation Directorate, NHS England
- Senior Responsible Officer
Alex Elias, Associate Director for Information Standards and Information Representation Services, NHS England
- Business Lead
- John Papadopoulos, Standards and Consulting, GS1 UK
- Approval date
- 31/03/2022
- Post Implementation review Date
- 31/03/2024
Legal basis and endorsements
- Legal authority
Section 250 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012
This information standard is published under section 250 of the Health and Social Care Act 2012
More information
The standard includes an overview of:
- GS1 Identification Keys, including data structure and supported data attributes
- GS1 Data Carriers (i.e., barcodes and Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) tags)
- Producing compliant GS1 barcodes and RFID tags, using GS1 Application Standards and Symbol Specifications
- Ensuring optimal barcode quality and compliance to GS1 Standards, including barcode and RFID validation and verification requirements.
It should be used as a reference tool by the NHS when procuring, implementing, and using AIDC technologies, e.g., barcode encoding software, scanners and printers.
About this change
The last release of this standard, ISB 0108 Amd 145/2010, was published in 2011 and this change to the standard enables alignments with GS1 standards and changes in the NHS, by introducing:
- Serialised Global Trade Item Number (SGTIN) which enables the identification of a specific instance of an item, providing additional granularity for traceability purposes
- Service Relation Instance Number (SRIN) which enables the identification of specific episodes of care and is an extension to the Global Service Relation Number (GSRN), defined for use by DCB1077: AIDC for Patient Identification.
Other changes include:
- Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) added to GS1 Data Carriers
- References to supporting links and guidance, glossary, appendices, governing bodies, and contract dates, updated.
Note: this standard is not mandatory for providers, but where providers do choose to use AIDC technologies, they MUST conform to this standard.
Page last updated: 29 August 2024