How to access the NHS England Terminology Server

Learn how to get access to the NHS England Terminology Server using a self-service login (to use tools) or a system-to-system account (to authenticate APIs).

Browse, map codes and author – using tools

Use Shrimp to browse FHIR terminology resources, Snapper:Map to map codes, and Snapper:Author to create FHIR terminology resources.

These tools can be accessed with a self-service login.

Set up a self-service login

Guidance on how to sign up with your email and get instant access.

Browse FHIR terminology resources (Shrimp)

Shrimp is a tool to browse FHIR terminology resources on the Terminology Server.

For a list of FHIR terminology resources on the Terminology Server, see what's available.

For browsing ICD-10 or OPCS, the NHS Classifications Browser is the recommended tool.

Open Shrimp – General use (production 1) environment

Read-only access.

Open Shrimp – Authoring environment

Read-only access.

Map codes (Snapper:Map)

Snapper:Map is a tool to map local codes to national standards on the Terminology Server. This can support the migration from local codes to national codes.

Open Snapper:Map – General use (production 1) environment

FHIR terminology resources (including concept maps) can be created locally. Contact us if you want to upload to the NHS England Terminology Server.

Open Snapper:Map – Authoring environment

FHIR terminology resources (including concept maps) can be created locally. Contact us if you want to upload to the NHS England Terminology Server.

Author FHIR terminology resources (Snapper:Author)

Snapper:Author is a tool to create FHIR terminology resources (code systems, value sets and concept maps).

Open Snapper:Author – General use (production 1) environment

FHIR terminology resources can be created locally. Contact us if you want to upload to the NHS England Terminology Server.

Open Snapper:Author – Authoring environment

FHIR terminology resources can be created locally. Contact us if you want to upload to the NHS England Terminology Server.

Integrate with your own system – using FHIR APIs

To integrate with the NHS England Terminology Server, you need a system-to-system account.

A system-to-system account provides client credentials which will allow the Terminology Server to authenticate API calls made from your system.

Request a system-to-system account

Guidance on requesting a system-to-system account.

View list of API endpoints

API endpoints for each environment.

Understand system-level and community roles

Guidance on the different roles at system-level and within communities, and how they affect access and permissions.

Use system-to-system account credentials

Guidance on configuring system-to-system credentials for automated integrations and secure communication between applications.

Last edited: 26 May 2026 2:03 pm