A code uniquely identifying a CONSULTANT.

The CONSULTANT CODE is derived from either the GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL REFERENCE NUMBER for GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS, or the GENERAL DENTAL COUNCIL REGISTRATION NUMBER for GENERAL DENTAL PRACTITIONERS (where the dentist doesn't have a GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL REFERENCE NUMBER).The CONSULTANT CODE is derived from either the GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL REFERENCE NUMBER for GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS, or the GENERAL DENTAL COUNCIL REGISTRATION NUMBER for GENERAL DENTAL PRACTITIONERS (where the Dentist doesn't have a GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL REFERENCE NUMBER).

For GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS working as CONSULTANTS, the GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTITIONER's GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL REFERENCE NUMBER should be used, see data item note for GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTITIONER (SPECIFIED).

For GENERAL DENTAL PRACTITIONERS working as a:

• Hospital CONSULTANT, the GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL REFERENCE NUMBER should be used, prefixed with "C"
• Dental CONSULTANT:
  • Who does not have a GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL REFERENCE NUMBER, the GENERAL DENTAL COUNCIL REGISTRATION NUMBER should be used, prefixed with "CD".
  • Where the GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL REFERENCE NUMBER or GENERAL DENTAL COUNCIL REGISTRATION NUMBER is not known, the default code should be used, see CONSULTANT CODE or Organisation Data Service Default Codes.

Note: There are some overseas-qualified dentists who are not fully registered with the General Dental Council but enjoy what is called "Temporary Registration". These dentists are not currently in the scope of the Dental Consultant codes file published by the Organisation Data Service and will not be included.For further information, see the Organisation Data Service pages of the NHS Digital website at:

Consultant Code format

• Technical guides: Standards repository guide
• Miscellaneous.

For NHS PATIENTS treated overseas, the commissioner of the overseas treatment is responsible for assuring that the overseas doctor is provided with a GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL REFERENCE NUMBER. In the case of overseas doctors, the default code C9999998 should only be used where no GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL REFERENCE NUMBER has been assigned.

All Midwife Episodes are identified in the Admitted Patient Care Commissioning Data Set (CDS) and Hospital Episode Statistics by a pseudo MAIN SPECIALTY CODE, 560, see Main Specialty and Treatment Function Codes Table. A default code is used in the CONSULTANT CODE field to show that a MIDWIFE is the responsible professional. Note that the MIDWIFE's own code is not used.For Commissioning Data Set version 6-2, default CONSULTANT CODES are used to identify ACTIVITY which is led by a NURSE, MIDWIFE or ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONAL. See CONSULTANT CODE for the default codes.

All Nursing Episodes are identified in the Admitted Patient Commissioning Data Set and Hospital Episode Statistics by a pseudo MAIN SPECIALTY CODE, 950, see Main Specialty and Treatment Function Codes Table. A default code is used in the CONSULTANT CODE field to show that a NURSE is the responsible professional. Note that the NURSE's own Nursing and Midwifery Council code is not used.For Commissioning Data Set version 6-3 onwards, CONSULTANT CODE is replaced by PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION ENTRY IDENTIFIER, which allows submission of the actual PROFESSIONAL REGISTRATION code for NURSES, MIDWIVES and ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONALS, as well as CONSULTANTS.

The General Medical Council allocates all doctors a GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL REFERENCE NUMBER on their first contact with the General Medical Council.

• If a doctor chooses to enter general practice in England or Wales, a further 6-digit number is allocated by NHS Digital. This number is referred to as the DOCTOR INDEX NUMBER.
• The DOCTOR INDEX NUMBER is passed to the requesting Clinical Commissioning Group or ORGANISATION authorised to act on their behalf who then liaise with NHS Prescription Services on the issue of prescription pads etc.
• NHS Prescription Services use the number to derive the GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTITIONER PPD CODE by prefixing it with a leading character and adding a check digit at the end.

A doctor can be both a GENERAL PRACTITIONER and a Hospital CONSULTANT, and therefore hold a DOCTOR INDEX NUMBER, GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTITIONER PPD CODE and a CONSULTANT CODE simultaneously.

Doctor Index Number Code Table

• Technical guides: Standards repository guide
• GP and GP practice related data.

A GENERAL DENTAL COUNCIL REGISTRATION NUMBER is allocated to a GENERAL DENTAL PRACTITIONER by the General Dental Council.

All GENERAL DENTAL PRACTITIONERS and Dental Care Professionals who practise in the United Kingdom must be registered with the General Dental Council.

This includes, all Dentists, Dental Nurses, Dental Technicians, Dental Hygienists, Dental Therapists, Clinical Dental Technicians and Orthodontic TherapistsThis includes, all Dentists, Dental Nurses, Dental Technicians, Dental Hygienists, Dental Therapists, Clinical Dental Technicians and Orthodontic Therapists

The General Dental Council Dentists Register lists all dentists registered with the General Dental Council.
The General Dental Council also maintains the General Dental Council Dental Care Professionals Register and the General Dental Council Specialist Lists in Distinctive Branches of Dentistry.The General Dental Council Dentists Register lists all Dentists registered with the General Dental Council.

Note: The General Dental Council also maintains the General Dental Council Dental Care Professionals Register and the General Dental Council Specialist Lists in Distinctive Branches of Dentistry.

For further information on Dentist registration, see the General Dental Council website at: Search the registers.

For Commissioning Data Set version 6-2, for GENERAL DENTAL PRACTITIONERS working as a dental CONSULTANT who do not have a GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL REFERENCE NUMBER, the GENERAL DENTAL COUNCIL REGISTRATION NUMBER should be used to derive the CONSULTANT CODE, prefixed with "CD".

Note: GENERAL DENTAL COUNCIL REGISTRATION NUMBERS vary in length. Filling zeros are used between the prefix and GENERAL DENTAL COUNCIL REGISTRATION NUMBER, where required, to maintain total length of eight characters.

For GENERAL DENTAL PRACTITIONERS working as a dental CONSULTANT who do not have a GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL REFERENCE NUMBER, the GENERAL DENTAL COUNCIL REGISTRATION NUMBER should be used to derive the CONSULTANT CODE, prefixed with "CD".For further information, see the Organisation Data Service pages of the NHS Digital website at: English Dental Consultants.

GENERAL DENTAL COUNCIL REGISTRATION NUMBER FORMAT

A unique code identifying a GENERAL DENTAL PRACTITIONER.

NHS Dental Services allocates GENERAL DENTAL PRACTITIONER CODES to GENERAL DENTAL PRACTITIONERS carrying out work for the NHS.

A doctor can be both a GENERAL DENTAL PRACTITIONER and a Dental CONSULTANT, and therefore hold a GENERAL DENTAL PRACTITIONER CODE and a CONSULTANT CODE simultaneously.

General Dental Practitioner Code format

The General Medical Council allocates all doctors a GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL REFERENCE NUMBER on their first contact with the General Medical Council.A GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL REFERENCE NUMBER is allocated to all doctors on their first contact with the General Medical Council, see the General Medical Council website at: GMC reference numbers.

Note - when a doctor is registered to practise medicine in the United Kingdom, their details will appear on the "General Medical Council List of Registered Medical Practitioners" (LRMP). For further information on doctor registration, see the General Medical Council website.Note: when a doctor is registered to practise medicine in the United Kingdom, their details will appear on the "General Medical Council List of Registered Medical Practitioners" (LRMP).

GENERAL MEDICAL COUNCIL REFERENCE NUMBER FORMAT

This is the NHS Prescription Services code to identify a GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTITIONER.The NHS Prescription Services code to identify a GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTITIONER.

The DOCTOR INDEX NUMBER is passed to the NHS Prescription Services, which adds a leading character and a check digit to create the GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTITIONER PPD CODE. NHS Prescription Services use this for the issue of prescription pads etc.The GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTITIONER PPD CODE is based on the NHS Digital issued DOCTOR INDEX NUMBER and is issued by the NHS Prescription Services. The GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTITIONER PPD CODE is the DOCTOR INDEX NUMBER prefixed with a leading character and with a check digit added.

For England and Wales, in addition to a GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTITIONER PPD CODE, a GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTITIONER may have one or more spurious GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTITIONER Code(s). These are allocated if a GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTITIONER works in additional General Medical Practitioner Practice. The spurious GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTITIONER Codes are not derived from the DOCTOR INDEX NUMBER, but do follow the same format as the GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTITIONER PPD CODE, and are allocated by the NHS Prescription Services. All spurious GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTITIONER Codes begin with either 'G6' or 'G7'.For England and Wales, in addition to a GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTITIONER PPD CODE, a GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTITIONER may have one or more 'spurious' GENERAL MEDICAL PRACTITIONER Code(s).

England and Wales General Medical Practitioner Code format

Scottish General Medical Practitioner Code format

Northern Ireland General Medical Practitioner Code format

For further information, see the Organisation Data Service pages of the NHS Digital website at:

• Technical guides: Standards repository guide
• GP and GP practice related data.

A PRIVATE CONTROLLED DRUG PRESCRIBER CODE is allocated by the NHS Prescription Services to private prescribers who prescribe schedule 2 and 3 controlled drugs that are intended to be dispensed by registered pharmacies.

Note: A registered pharmacy means Pharmacy Premises registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council and listed on the General Pharmaceutical Council Register.

Private Controlled Drug Prescribers fall into one of the following types:

• Private General Practitioners
• Private Nurses
• Private Pharmacists
• Private Optometrists
• Private Physiotherapists
• Private Radiographers
• Private Podiatrists.

Each Private Controlled Drug Prescriber is linked to one Sustainability and Transformation Partnership (STP). This is the Sustainability and Transformation Partnership that is responsible for the Private Controlled Drug Prescriber and may not necessarily be the geographic Sustainability and Transformation Partnership.

Private Controlled Drug Prescriber Code format

• Technical guides: Standards repository guide
• GP and GP practice related data.