What list validation is for
List validation checks reduce the number of patients incorrectly registered with GP practices. The checks ensure that details are held by NHS England.
Validation checks help to ensure patients are on relevant screening programmes and that practices are paid correctly for the number of patients they have. This process is managed by PCSE (Primary Care Support England).
How list validation works
PCSE will contact the GP practice, or the patients concerned, to ask them to confirm that their details are still accurate. The process checks the following six groups:
- patients aged over 100
- patients that migrated to England one year ago (transient)
- patients registered at an educational facility for four or more years (students)
- patients aged under 16 showing as the sole occupier of a property (orphans)
- properties the Royal Mail report as demolished (demolished properties)
- properties with eight or more registered inhabitants (multiple occupancy).
Upon the return of information, PCSE will either:
- add a note to the patient record to say that the details are correct, for example ‘reg confirmed’, ‘whereabouts known’, ‘seen recently’
- process the patient deduction sent via GP links (if confirmed they have moved away or have died)
- apply an FP69 marker (which will result in the patient deducted in six months time unless an update to the patient details or a new registration is received in that time).
Schedule 3, part 2 of the GMS regulations
Tips
Identify and action FP69 notifications from the PCO:
- list validation initiatives may generate huge numbers of flagged patients
- to avoid FP69 flags piling up, practices should have systems in place ensuring that they check their clinical system regularly
- practices should use the six-month window provided in the regulations to avoid incorrect patient deductions
- having to re-register a patient means the loss of capitation for at least one quarter.