How to create a new patient record

This page explains how to create a single new patient record.

First check that a record does not already exist - see 'How to search for a patient'. If no existing record is found:

1. Click on ‘Add patient’ on your home screen

2. Complete the 'Invite patient' form.

It is strongly recommended that you enter a national identifier if known (e.g. NHS number in the UK) as this avoids the possibility of duplicate records being created. Your organisation may have made this a mandatory field.

Here are the required fields when creating a new patient record:

  • Your organisation may have mandated that national identifier must be provided. If not, then one of the following is required: National Identifier, Organisation ID / Team ID or patient email address.

  • Title, First name, Last name

Entering an email address on this form will trigger an invitation to the patient to register and claim their record. You should only do this if you have confirmed the patient's identity and email address.

Please note if you are outside of the UK you will use your own national identifier rather than NHS number. For example, in Ireland the system will refer to IHI numbers throughout.

3. Select the privacy labels you require access to in the patient’s record. Your team’s default access is pre-selected.

4. Click ‘Invite patient’ to save

If the patient record can be created you will get a confirmation message on the Homepage that the patient record has been created. The patient will have automatically been added to your team. Search for the patient record to bring up the details. You can start adding to the patient record immediately.

Special cases

  • If a record is being created without a patient identifier and there is another patient record with matching last name and date of birth then PKB will flag this and ask you to confirm how to proceed.


  • If you are trying to create a patient record where a record already exists in your organisation with that National Identifier (NHS number) or Organisation ID but has no patient email address attached you will be presented with a message below.

  • Go back to search screen to search for this patient record to add them to your team

If a patient record exists outside your organisation click here for Patient records created in another organisation

  • If you are trying to create a patient record with an existing National identifier or Organisation ID and it already exists in your organisation with an email address saved you will be presented with the message below. The patient will have been automatically added to your team.

See How PKB matches to existing patient records for details on matching.