Searching for a patient

You can search for patients who match a set of criteria. You can scan a patient's QR code to find a patient in Nervecentre. Usually, the patient's QR code is on a wristband.

Searching for a patient on a mobile
On iOS

  1. From Patients, select next to the patient list name.

  2. Select Quick Search.

  3. Search for a patient by name, hospital number, ward, or consultant code.

    • To search for a patient by name or hospital number, from PATIENT, enter a patient's last name or hospital number, then select .

    • To search for a patient by ward, select Select Ward, then select a ward from the list. You can search for a ward in the list.

    • To search for a patient by consultant, from CONSULTANT, enter a consultant code, then select .

On Android

  1. From > Patients, select .

  2. Search for a patient by name, hospital number, ward, or consultant code.

    • To search for a patient by name or hospital number, from By patient, enter a patient's last name or hospital number, then select .

    • To search for a patient by ward, select By ward, then select a ward from the list.

    • To search for a patient by consultant, from By Consultant Code, enter a consultant code, then select .

On iOS

  1. From Patients, select and hold on the name of the patient list, or a patient's name on the patient list.

  2. Scan the QR code on the patient's wristband.

    You might be able to turn on a torch to see the QR code better. Select Toggle Torch to turn your torch on and off.

    If the patient is on your list, the record opens immediately. If not, you see a message asking if you want to search for the patient. Select Yes.

On Android

  1. From > Patients, select .

  2. Scan the QR code on the patient's wristband.

    You might be able to turn on a torch to see the QR code better. Select to turn on your torch. Select to turn off your torch.

    If the patient is on your list, the record opens immediately. If not, you see a message asking if you want to search for the patient. Select Yes.

On iOS

  1. From Patients, select > Select external scanner.

  2. Select and hold on the name of the patient list, or a patient's name on the patient list.

  3. Scan the QR code on the patient's wristband with the external scanner.

  4. Select Done.

On Android

You can't do this on Android.

Searching for a patient on a desktop

  1. From  Inpatients > Patient List, select .

  2. Do a quick search or an advanced search for a patient.

    Read more about quick search

    Read more about advanced search

  1. Select one of the following options from the navigation bar on the left.

    The options you see depend on your organisation and permissions.

    •  Inpatients

    •  Outpatients

    •  Collections

    •  Community

    •  Live Flow

    •  Theatres

    •  Pharmacy

    •  Back office

    •  Bed Management

    The option you choose depends on your role and the patient's location. For example, if you work in the hospital pharmacy, select  Pharmacy.

  2. Select Patient Detail.

  3. Select one of the following options to start a search. The options you see depend on your permissions.

A quick search allows you to search for a patient using the patient's name, hospital number A number given to the patient when they are registered at the hospital. A patient might have multiple hospital numbers., NHS number A unique 10 digit number given to patients in England and Wales. A patient is given an NHS number when they are born, or on their first visit to a healthcare provider., or date of birth. You can also scan a patient's wristband.

By default, when you select Select Patient, quick search opens, showing a single field, Name / Number / DOB / Scan. If you see other fields, select Quick.

  1. Under Name / Number / DOB / Scan, enter a name, hospital number, NHS number, or date of birth.

    You can enter a partial name, for example, you might only need to enter the first three letters of a patient's name to get a result.

    If your desktop has an external scanner, you can scan a patient's wristband instead of entering search terms.

    Read more about scanning with an external scanner

  2. Search for a patient. To search all patients, select Search all patients.

    If you search from  Inpatients, you have the following options:

    • Type a patient's name, hospital number, or NHS number to find specific patients in your patient list.

      To filter by name, enter last name, first name.

    • To search all inpatients, select Search inpatients.

  3. Select a patient's name.

    If you can't see your patient, consider doing an advanced search.

    Read more about advanced search

  4. If you search from  Outpatients, select an episode of care.

An advanced search allows you to search for a patient using more information than just the patient's name, hospital number A number given to the patient when they are registered at the hospital. A patient might have multiple hospital numbers., NHS number A unique 10 digit number given to patients in England and Wales. A patient is given an NHS number when they are born, or on their first visit to a healthcare provider., or date of birth.

The table below shows the search options available when you do an advanced search.

Number

Enter a patient's hospital number, or NHS number.

Surname

Enter a patient's last name.

Firstname

Enter a patient's first name.

Postcode

Enter a patient's postcode.

DoB

Enter a patient's date of birth in the format dd/mm/yyyy.

UBRN

Enter a unique booking reference number UBRN Unique Booking Reference Number. A unique number assigned by e-RS to identify a referral..

Case Note No

Enter a case note volume number.

DoB after

Enter a date. Searches for patients with a date of birth that is after the date entered.

For example, enter 01/01/1995 to search for a patient born after 1994.

DoB before

Enter a date. Searches for patients with a date of birth that is before the date entered.

For example, enter 01/01/1995 to search for a patient born before 1995.

Include Historic or other names

A patient might change their first name or last name. A patient's previous names are historic names.

Select an option:

  • Historic off searches the current names of patients

  • Historic on searches the current and historic names of patients

For example, a patient changes their last name. Their last name is updated on Nervecentre. You search for their previous last name. If Historic off is selected, you can't see the patient. If Historic on is selected, you can find the patient.

Match Type

Select an option:

  • Name starting... searches for names starting with the letters you enter in Surname or Firstname. For example, you search for the last name Green. You enter gre. The results show patients with the last name Green or Grey.

  • Exact names searches for names that exactly match what you enter in Surname or Firstname. For example, you search for the last name Green. You enter green. The results show patients with the last name Green.

  • Sounds Like searches for names that start with a similar sound to what you enter in Surname or Firstname. For example, you search for the last name Green. You enter green. The results show patients with the last name Green or Graham.

Include Deceased

Select an option:

  • Do Not Include Deceased searches for patients who are alive.

  • Include Deceased searches for patients who are alive or deceased.

  • Include Admitted Deceased Patients Only searches for patients who are admitted and deceased. For example, this includes inpatients who are deceased, but not outpatients who are deceased.

Patient Merged

Sometimes a patient record is merged with another patient record to create a new merged patient record. The patient records that existed before the merge are called non-retained merged records.

You can choose to include or exclude non-retained merged records.

An advanced search allows you to search for a patient using more information than just the patient's name, hospital number A number given to the patient when they are registered at the hospital. A patient might have multiple hospital numbers., NHS number A unique 10 digit number given to patients in England and Wales. A patient is given an NHS number when they are born, or on their first visit to a healthcare provider., or date of birth.

By default, when you select Select Patient, quick search opens, showing a single field, Name / Number / DOB / Scan.

  1. Select Advanced.

  2. Optional: select + to choose search options.

  3. Select a search option, and either enter your search term or select an option.

    Read more about options for advanced search

  4. Search for the patient.

    • Select to search.

    • To clear a single search option, select next to the search option.

    • To clear all search criteria, select X next to +.

  5. Select a patient's name.

  6. If you search from  Outpatients, select an episode of care.

  1. From  Inpatients, select Patient Detail.

  2. Select Select Patient or select the patient's name.

    By default, when you select Select Patient, quick search opens, showing a single field, Name / Number / DOB / Scan. If you see other fields, select Quick, then select the field Name / Number / DOB / Scan.

  3. Scan the QR code on the patient's wristband with the external scanner.

You can view a quick list of patients you have recently viewed.

  1. Select one of the following options from the navigation bar on the left.

    The options you see depend on your organisation and permissions.

    •  Inpatients

    •  Outpatients

    •  Collections

    •  Community

    •  Live Flow

    •  Theatres

    •  Pharmacy

    •  Back office

    •  Bed Management

    The option you choose depends on where your patient is located and your role. For example, if you work in the hospital pharmacy, select  Pharmacy.

  2. Select Patient Detail.

  3. Select Select Patient or select the patient's name.

  4. Select Quick.

  5. Select Recent.

  1. Select one of the following options from the navigation bar on the left.

    The options you see depend on your organisation and permissions.

    •  Inpatients

    •  Outpatients

    •  Collections

    •  Community

    •  Live Flow

    •  Theatres

    •  Pharmacy

    •  Back office

    •  Bed Management

    The option you choose depends on where your patient is located and your role. For example, if you work in the hospital pharmacy, select  Pharmacy.

  2. Select Patient Detail > Search/Register.

  3. Enter three of the following: the patient's first name, last name, date of birth, or postcode. Or, enter the patient's hospital number A number given to the patient when they are registered at the hospital. A patient might have multiple hospital numbers. or NHS number A unique 10 digit number given to patients in England and Wales. A patient is given an NHS number when they are born, or on their first visit to a healthcare provider..

    • From Quick Entry, enter the patient's first name, last name, date of birth, postcode, hospital number, and/or NHS number.

      The patient’s date of birth must have the format dd/mm/yyyy.

      If you enter a hospital number or NHS number, you must enter four or more characters, and one of those characters must be a number. If you enter an NHS number, you can include spaces, or not include spaces.

    • Or, enter each piece of information separately.

      1. From Date of Birth, enter the patient's date of birth.

        The patient’s date of birth must have the format dd/mm/yyyy.

      2. From Surname, enter the patient's last name.

      3. From Forename, enter the patient's first name.

      4. From Postcode, enter the patient's postcode.

  4. Select Lookup Patient.

    • If a patient is found, select a patient from the list.

    • If patients are not found, select outside the window.

      Depending on your permissions, you can register the patient.

      Read more about registering a patient

  1. From Patient Detail, select Search/Register > Lookup UBRN.

  2. Enter the UBRN Unique Booking Reference Number. A unique number assigned by e-RS to identify a referral. for the patient's advice and guidance request, or referral, then press Enter.

    Nervecentre then searches for a patient with a referral, or advice and guidance request, with that UBRN.

  1. From  Inpatients, select Expects.

  2. Select Patient Name.

  3. Do a quick search or an advanced search for a patient.

    Read more about quick search

    Read more about advanced search

  4. Select .

    Read more about searching for expected patients

  1. From  Inpatients, select Discharged.

  2. Select Patient Name.

  3. Do a quick search or an advanced search for a patient.

    Read more about quick search

    Read more about advanced search

  4. Select .

    Read more about searching for discharged patients

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