Background
We are required to check our data sharing against the national Opt out database. You are not allowed to hold the opt out status against the record but can maintain a cache of the results for a fixed period but must regularly update it.
There is currently one way this can be checked which is using a MESH mailbox https://digital.nhs.uk/services/national-data-opt-out/compliance-with-the-national-data-opt-out/check-for-national-data-opt-outs-service. In the longer term there will be a an HL7 FHIR API that can be queried https://developer.nhs.uk/apis/optout/overview_ndop.html.
All UKRR databases will need to check the opt out status of any records pulled out to ensure we are meeting the patients preferences. This means we need a process to manage the regular checking and maintenance of opt out status with in the cache limits specified by NHS England or we need to submit each extract data identifiers and verify if all identifiers are eligible for this extract.
Process
We now have a MESH mailbox (MESHUI https://portal.spineservices.nhs.uk/meshui/) which allows us to access the National Opt-Out checking (Currently all members of the systems Team can submit opt out files). The requirements for using this is to create a .dat file of NHS numbers each on a new line with a comma and LF (NOT CRLF) at the end of each row. This is an example file using dummy NHS numbers taken from NHS Digital website.
example.dat
9000543664, 9000956406, 9000617017, 9000429321, 9000962382, 9000819657, 9000159594, 9000898358, 9000093377, 9000174186, 9000449907, 9000401318, 9000662584, 9000363907, 9000683339, 9000803888, 9000134329, 9000961849, 9000092770, 9000925967, 9000230070, 9000021513, 9000581394, 9000504543,
The file needs use a a unique name and NHS Digital recommend your mailbox ID, the date the file is produced, and a 4-digit sequence number to show what order that file has been produced in that month, each separated by hyphens.
For example, our organisation with MESH mailbox ID 8HQ50OT001 (Renal Association Id) , that has produced a file on 3 June 2020 and which was the first file produced that month, would use the file name:
8HQ50OT001-030620-0001
It may be helpful to add a project indicator to the file name so that if multiple people check the mesh mailbox they can more readily identify the required file. This would need to be in the Messages Subject/Message Reference fields. So for an AKI opt out file the Message Subject and Message reference could be:
Message Subject 8HQ50OT001-030620-AKI-0001
Message Reference 8HQ50OT001-030620-AKI-0605-0001
By doing this we can more readily check the required file has returned.
The mail box is accessed via https://portal.spineservices.nhs.uk/meshui/
The mailbox has a few setting requirements...
Select the correct message type
SPINE NDOP External Upholding - (SPINE_NTT_UPHOLDING)
select the recipient of mailbox X26HC065 - NHS Digital POS Mailbox
Previously the mailbox was X26HC036 but this is to be decomissioned from the end of March 2021. The one above should be used for all new requests.
attach the file (saved as a .dat file type)
message subject and message reference need to be filled in (though the MESH UI suggests they are optional they are required for this process to work) using a reference with unique identifiers. I have used the file name for the subject and for the message I have included a time stamp as this is used to identify/name the returned file add a project designator here as well as this name is used for the returned file name.
Ensure no odd characters used in the above fields such as a : as the message will be sent but no response will be received. Only use underscore or hypen to separate fields.
Click submit to send the message the response will be received in the next 40 minutes. If the mail message setup is incorrect (such as not filling in subject and message fields ) then no response will be received.
If the file contains incorrect NHS numbers you will receive a file containing a single line:
The file contains one or more invalid NHS Numbers.
The fie seems to accept CHI numbers but they must have leading zeros all numbers must be the correct length.
If successful you receive back a file to download named the same as the message with a .dat extension. The format is the same as the sent file only now it only contains NHS numbers for people who haven't opted out.
OPT OUT Submission Records
To keep a record of optouts Q:\National OptOut has been created with a submitted and returned folder.
The file sent should be put in Q:\National OptOut\submitted
The returned file should be put in Q:\National OptOut\returned
A log of file name and its purpose is held in Q:\National OptOut\Submitted Data.txt
References
Check for National Data Opt-outs Service - NHS Digital
National data opt-out checker app - NHS Digital this is an app that can be used to provide a quick check of opt out status. It relies on having a data warehouse of none opt out identifiers.
MESH Mailbox Request Message Exchange for Social Care and Health: mailbox request form - NHS Digital