Care Identity applications and services
How to use Care Identity Management, Apply for Care ID and other services, plus information on CIS2 Authentication.
For the latest releases and planned maintenance within Care Identity Service, go to our release hub.
Care Identity Management
This service allows Registration Authority users to manage access to patient data.
It is available to:
- Registration Authority managers
- Registration Authority agents and advanced agents
- sponsors
- local smartcard administrators
Self-service unlock smartcard
This application allows clinicians and other staff to unlock their own smartcards, without having to register or contact their Registration Authority.
Apply for Care ID
Apply for Care ID enables staff to verify their own identity and create their own care identity profile.
CIS2 Authentication
This service allows health and care professionals to sign in securely to point-of-care applications using a range of authenticators, including smartcards, security keys, Windows Hello and Microsoft Authenticator.
It is not a stand-alone application – it is integrated directly into point-of-care applications and provides the sign in journey.
CIS1 Authentication
This legacy authentication service is being replaced by CIS2 Authentication. Find out more about the deprecation of CIS1 Authentication.
Digital signing applications
NHS England offer 3 products that can be used to generate digital signatures. These products are currently only available for signing prescriptions.
Read more about:
Spine Directory Service APIs
Health and social care software applications can use the following other APIs to access information held within Spine Directory Service (SDS):
- Healthcare Worker FHIR API - provides details of healthcare workers registered in CIS, including personal details and roles
- Spine Directory Service FHIR API - provides details of 'accredited systems' - these are IT systems that connect to our national services
- Organisation Data Terminology FHIR API - provides details of organisations - actually sourced from Organisation Data Service, not SDS
- Spine Directory Service LDAP API - provides access to a variety of information, but is planned for deprecation and retirement at some point
Technical services
Latest releases
For the latest updates to each application or service, go to our release hub.
Last edited: 18 March 2026 9:55 am