NHS: Children

(asked on 23rd November 2021) - View Source

Question to the Department for Education:

To ask the Secretary of State for Education, if he will have discussion with the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care on the merits of using the NHS Number as a single unique identifier for children.


Answered by
Robin Walker Portrait
Robin Walker
This question was answered on 30th November 2021

The primary identifiers for education are the unique pupil number for school aged pupils and the unique learner number for post-16 and adult education. These identifiers are developed to provide operational and analytical linkage between departments, and sector facing services, and are essential for delivery of policy and operational analysis both within the department and the wider sector.

However, the department is continually analysing the effectiveness of its unique identifiers for stages in education and will work with colleagues across government, including from the Department of Health and Social Care, on improving the effectiveness of how identifiers contribute to the broader interoperability of data across our shared domains and the life events of citizens. This will include consideration of the merits of greater use of the NHS number as an identifier for children.

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