Standardising wristbands improves

patient safety: guidance on

implementing the Safer Practice Notice
(SPN 24, July 2007)
and the related information standard on
core patient identifiers approved by the
Information Standards Board for Health
and Social Care in March 2009

Author:

Dr Beverley Norris (updated by Chris Ranger)

Date:

19 April 2009

Doc Ref:

1.8

Contents
Background
1. Why is it important to standardise wristbands?
2. Why do we need a second NPSA Safer Practice Notice on wristbands?
3. Have staff and patients been consulted about standardising wristbands
and the NPSAs recommendations?
4. Are patients allowed to wear their own wristbands, for example to denote
no blood products?
5. What is the procedure if the organisation does not feel it can comply with
the Safer Practice Notice or elements of the Notice?
The design of wristbands
6. What kind of wristbands should we use?
7. Where do I get a wristband that meets the NPSA design guidance?
8. Does the NPSA recommend the use of technologies such as barcoding
and radio frequency identification (RFID) on wristbands?
Patient identifiers
9. Are the core patient identifiers for wristbands mandatory?
10. Do the patient identifiers also apply to newborns?
11. Why isnt gender one of the core patient identifiers for wristbands?
12. The NHS Number isnt available on most of our patient records, how do
we check notes against the wristband?
13. Is there a standard layout and format for the identifiers on a patient
wristband?
14. Where should any additional identifiers (including hospital number) be
located?
15. What should I do if one or more of the four identifiers is missing?
16. Why is it a requirement of the Safer Practice Notice for Welsh
Organisations to include first line of address as a core identifier on a
patients wristband?
17. Why is it recommended that wristbands are white with black text weve
always used yellow bands because they show up well?
Processes for producing, applying and checking wristbands
18. Is there NPSA guidance on processes for issuing, checking and changing
wristbands?
19. Where should the patient and member of staff sign to say the information
on the wristband is correct, or that the wristband has been changed for a
specified reason?
The use of coloured wristbands
20. Why is the NPSA concerned about colour coding wristbands?
21. Our Trust currently uses red wristbands to identify if a patient has an
allergy. The system has been in place for over 10 years and is recognised
practice, so why should we stop it?
22. How will staff who move jobs know if their new healthcare organisation is
using a system of a red wristband for known risks?
23. What patient risks should I use red wristbands for?
24. We currently use green wristbands for patients at risk of falls, how do we
protect these patients now?
25. What about food and nut allergic patients?
26. We need to know when patients are radioactive, so why cant we use a
coloured wristband?
Appendix 1: Algorithm for the safe identification of unknown, unconscious or
incapacitated patients on the same NPSA webpage as this guidance

Appendix 2: Algorithm for the safe identification of newborns - on the same

NPSA webpage as this guidance

Background
This document was developed originally to help NHS organisations implement the
NPSA Safer Practice Notice (SPN) 24 Standardising wristbands improves patient
safety. Further work has been done by the NPSA to develop the related information
standard on core patient identifiers approved by the Information Standards Board for
Health and Social Care, for which NHS Connecting for Health (NHS CFH) is the
sponsor and longer-term developer. A key output is the development of
supplementary organisational and behavioural guidance to support full
implementation of the core identifiers in the NHS. Implementation of the Patient
Identifiers for Identity Bands standard is dependent on implementation of the related
NHS Number Standards DSC Notices 31&32/2008. This guidance should be read
in conjunction with NHS Number Implementation Guidance available at the NHS
Number Programme website http://www.connectingforhealth.nhs.uk/systemsandservices/nhsnumber. Both sets of
guidance are consistent.
1. Why is it important to standardise wristbands?
Between February 2006 and January 2007, the NPSA received 24,382 reports of
patients being mismatched with their care. More than 2,900 of these related to
wristbands and their use. Standardising the design of patient wristbands, the
information on them, and the processes used to produce and check them will
improve patient safety. There is increasing evidence to show that standardising
elements of patient care, such as these, contributes positively to patient safety1. Also,
wherever staff work in the NHS in England and Wales, they will know what to expect
on wristbands as patient identifiers.
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2. Why do we need a second NPSA Safer Practice Notice on

wristbands?
This notice builds on the NPSAs Safer Practice Notice, Wristbands for hospital
inpatients improves safety (November 2005), which was about ensuring that
inpatients wear wristbands and that they are accurate. The current Notice
recommends action aimed at standardising wristbands. This will help to further
improve patient identification and ensure patients are matched with the care intended
for them. Both notices are part of a wider programme of NPSA work on safer patient
identification and matching patients correctly to samples, specimens, records and
treatment. Related work can be found at http://www.npsa.nhs.uk/patientsafety/alertsand-directives/directives-guidance/patient-identification/
3. Have staff and patients been consulted about standardising
wristbands and the NPSAs recommendations?
The views of patients have been obtained through special workshops. Staff and their
professional organisations have been consulted through workshops and a survey.
They were also asked to comment on the original proposal for the work and the draft
Safer Practice Notice. A full report of the consultations is on the NPSA website at
www.npsa.nhs.uk/alerts 2

4. Are patients allowed to wear their own wristbands, for example to

denote no blood products?

Patients who wish to wear their own wristbands in hospital should be permitted to do
so, but advised of the dangers of confusion for staff.
5. What is the procedure if the organisation does not feel it can comply with the
Safer Practice Notice or elements of the Notice?
The Safer Practice Notice represents the view of the National Patient Safety Agency,
which was arrived at after consideration of the evidence available. It is anticipated
that healthcare staff will take it into account when designing services and delivering
patient care. This does not, however, override the responsibility of individual
healthcare staff to make decisions appropriate to local circumstances and the needs
of patients and to take appropriate professional advice where necessary. If an
organisation decides not to implement this guidance it should undertake a full risk
assessment of the proposed alternative and be assured that the alternative is at least
as safe.

The design of wristbands

6. What kind of wristbands should we use?
Consultation with users and with manufacturers has identified a need to improve
wristband comfort, durability and ease of use. The following recommendations have
been developed which should be considered in selecting a wristband (the design
guidance can be found at www.npsa.nhs.uk/alerts):
Size3
Wristbands must fit the range of sizes of patients, from the smallest newborn babies
through to the largest adults. Wristbands should therefore be:
Long enough to accommodate bariatric patients, patients with oedema (swelling)
and patients with IV lines and bandages
Small enough to be comfortable and secure for newborns, babies and children.
Comfort4

Shape - There should be no sharp corners, profiling or edges that can irritate or
rub the skin.

Edges The edges of wristband material must be soft and smooth to ensure
comfort over prolonged use. This includes any edges that are produced when
cutting the wristband to size.

Fastenings Fastenings should not press into the skin.

Material Wristband material should be flexible, smooth, waterproof, cleanable,

breathable and non-allergenic5
Usability
Wristbands should be:
Easy to clean
Waterproof and resistant to other fluids (soap, detergents, gels, sprays, rubs,
alcohol cleaning products, blood and other bodily fluids)
Secure and not fall off
Designed to allow patients to wash
Quick and easy for all staff to use 6. This includes:
Storage
Access from storage
Filling in patient identifiers
Changing or updating information

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Reading and checking information

Putting on patients (including selecting the correct size or adjusting to correct
length)
Fastening
Removal
The wristband should not catch on clothing, equipment or devices including IV
lines. Special attention should be paid to fastenings and free ends.
The NPSA recommends that patients wear one wristband only. If there is a
circumstance where it is essential to use more than one wristband, all the bands
should satisfy all of the above requirements.

7. Where do I get a wristband that meets the NPSA design guidance?

Ask your current supplier to explain how their products meet the design
requirements. The NHS Supply Chain will be including these requirements in their
contracts.
Designing and testing wristbands must account for the range of users (patients and
staff) and the range of working conditions and clinical conditions under which
wristbands will be used.
Users:
a.
Smaller wristbands (width and length) are needed for neonates,
babies and children so that they are comfortable and secure.
b.
Patients will have clinical conditions which will affect how wristbands fit
and how comfortable they are, and these may change during their stay.
Interventions and treatments will be carried out which may be difficult with the
wristband in place. All of these factors will contribute to the likelihood of the
wristband being removed and should be considered in the design of wristbands.
c.
Wristbands are worn continuously, including during sleep, and over
prolonged time periods. Materials, shapes and edges that feel soft on initial
touch may therefore prove uncomfortable over prolonged use. Assessment of
wristband designs must be based on how they will feel to the most vulnerable
users and over prolonged use.
d.
Wristbands are issued by all staff including all levels of nursing staff,
Health Care Assistants and administration staff. Therefore training will not be
available for all staff and the use of wristbands should be intuitive, including
where and how to fill in patient identifiers, checking of information, fastening and
removal.
e.
Representatives of the whole range of users should be consulted
during the design and testing of wristbands. If access to users is limited ensure
that the sample includes representatives of the most at-risk users (both patients
and staff).
Working and clinical conditions:
Testing should be contextual and representative. This means that the range of
working environments, length of stay, clinical specialties and treatments should be
represented in the testing. Think about how the wristband would be used in high risk
situations such as low-lighting, staff shortages, shortage of supplies, patient with
multiple interventions etc.
8. Does the NPSA recommend the use of technologies such as barcoding and
radio frequency identification (RFID) on wristbands?
Ensuring all patients have a wristband in a standard format means they can be used,
to carry a barcode, for example of the patients NHS Number, and to verify the

patients identity at any stage of their care or treatment, even if they are transferred to
another hospital. The development of technologies including barcoding, radio
frequency identification (RFID) and biometrics (for example, fingerprints and iris
scanning) is improving patient identification and the matching of patients to their care.
The Department of Health has issued a guidance paper on the use of simple
technology for safer patient care, with examples of the use of barcoding and RFID to
promote safer patient identification7. Wristbands should therefore allow the
incorporation of new technologies that may be used to assist patient identification
e.g. RFID tags or barcode technologies, whilst still fulfilling the other requirements.

Patient identifiers
1

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9. Are the core patient identifiers for wristbands mandatory?

The NPSA recommends that Trusts should use the specified core patient identifiers
on wristbands (i.e. LAST NAME, first name, date of birth and verified NHS Number).
If any additional identifiers are thought to be necessary, these should be formally risk
assessed in relation to the safe use of the four core identifiers.
The related information standards on patient identifiers for identity bands, specifies
the four identifiers that must be included on NHS patient identity bands and the
format for presenting these so that identity information is clear and unambiguous. All
suppliers of healthcare systems which produce identity bands for use in the NHS are
required to comply with the standard. . Each patient identifier is consistent with the
Common User Interface (CUI) Design Guide as will be required by NHS Connecting
for Health through their Common User Interface (CUI) work which is part of the
introduction of the National Programme for IT in the NHS9. In addition the ordering of
the fields is consistent with the current CUI screen design.
10. Do the patient identifiers also apply to newborns?
For newborns, in addition to the NHS Number, the identifiers should include baby
boy/girl (mothers last name) to ensure that the baby can be matched to the mother
when in hospital, and date and time of birth. Where the NHS Number is not available,
a temporary number should be used, for example, the hospital, casenote or A&E
number. Further information about the process to be used for identifying newborns, is
available on same webpage as this guidance. www.npsa.nhs.uk/alerts
11. Why isnt gender one of the core patient identifiers for wristbands?
We know that gender is not widely used in the NHS as an identifier and that it is not
favoured by NHS staff for inclusion as much as the identifiers we recommend. Also,
there is no evidence that including gender is safer than not including it as a core
identifier. Audits of blood sample labelling both internationally and in England showed
that gender was a poorly used identifier10. Other evidence comes from a survey of
NHS staff carried out by the NPSA in 2006 which found that gender was seventh in a
list of most used identifiers (behind ward and hospital consultant) and that NHS
staff rated the usefulness of gender as an identifier as low (see reference 2 below).
The SPN says that if any additional identifiers are thought to be necessary, these
should be formally risk assessed in relation to the safe use of the four core identifiers.
A formal assessment within Trusts could conclude that it is appropriate to use gender
when other information is lacking, for example for unconscious and/or unidentified
patients.
12. The NHS Number is not available on most of our patient records,
how do we check notes against the wristband?
The NHS Number is not consistently used as a the unique national identifier
for NHS patients currently, but all the evidence suggests when it is used in

combination with Last name, First name and Date of Birth it will enable safer patient
identification. Nationally NHS Number availability varies between about 70% and
98%, so the verified NHS Number should be available for use for most patients. The
availability of NHS Numbers will vary across the country, depending on the quality of
demographic data collection at Trusts, which impacts on the ability to trace the
Number, and the system of automatic matching and clearance of non matches. Initial
primary care data collection is important as poor data collection can impact on match
rates. Some areas of the country are taking the initiative to improve NHS Number
coverage and also their data collection processes through effective data quality
improvement programmes within the NHS. Availability of the NHS Number is
compounded by the catchment area of the Trust and the percentage of patients who
are overseas visitors, immigrants, or asylum seekers, who are less likely to have a
NHS Number or for it to be easily available. If the verified NHS Number is not
immediately available, a local hospital number should be used until it is and the NHS
Number space on the band left blank.
13. Is there a standard layout and format for the identifiers on a patient
wristband?
Standardising the layout and format of these identifiers will increase legibility and
clarity. The following requirements relate to the layout of information on a wristband:
The space available for patient data should be adequate for the patient identifiers
to be recorded clearly and unambiguously.
The same layout, order of information and information style should be used on all
wristbands across the organisation to encourage standardisation. This helps
make wristbands easier to read and avoid errors.
Pre-defined spaces for each identifier or a pre-printed format can help encourage
standardization e.g. consider using a title or box for each identifier (see figure 1),
but without reducing the space available for the patient identifiers.
The related information standard on patient identifiers for identity bands, specifies
some aspects of format and layout that must be used and these are included in the
text below which follows figure 1, and defined by use of the word must.
14. Where should any additional identifiers (including hospital number) be
located?
The NPSA says in the SPN (24) on standardising wristbands, that only the four core
patient identifiers should be used on wristbands. However, there may be
circumstances where it is thought necessary to have one or more additional
identifiers on the band. If any additional identifiers are thought to be necessary, they
must be formally risk assessed in terms of why they are necessary, how they are
distinguishable from the four specified identifiers and how they are located on the
identity band so that the four identifiers remain clear and unambiguous. They should
not be placed where they could be confused with any missing core identifiers. The
NHS Number space on an identity band should only be used for a verified NHS
Number. If the verified NHS Number is not available, this field should be left blank.
If a hospital or local number has to be used, it is best to label it as such.
15. What should I do if one or more of the four core identifiers is missing?
If one or more of the four core identifiers is missing, it may be necessary to use
another or other identifiers depending on the circumstances. If the missing identifier
is the verified NHS Number, please see the advice for 14 above. If the identifiers are
missing because the patient is unknown, incapacitated please see the algorithm in

appendix 1. This shows that if an unknown, incapacitated or unconscious person is

admitted, the wristband should show the following information:
Unknown Male/Female
Or
Unknown Male/Female Child
Temporary Local number
In this case, the suggested layouts at 1a and 1b would not be appropriate and a
wristband without predefined spaces should be used. Once complete information is
known about the patient, the original wristband should be replaced with a wristband
that contains all four core identifiers and this should be recorded in the patients
notes.

Figure 1: Suggested layouts for patient identifiers

1a
Last
Name

First
Name

Date of
Birth

NHS
Number

1b
Last
Name

First
Name

Date of
Birth

NHS
Number

1c

If pre-defined spaces are not used, pre-printed lines can be used to help
make information easy to read. This is particularly useful for write-on
wristbands.
The suggested layout shown in figure 1 shows the patients name on one line,
in the order LAST NAME, First name. If it is not possible to display the names
on one line, a compromise would be to add the titles (as shown in figures 1a
and 1b), to help differentiate last and first names, which otherwise would only
be indicated by the use of upper case for last name.
Date of birth must be recorded in the short format, in the style recommended
by the NHS Connecting for Health Common User Interface Design Guide9 as
follows:
DD-Mmm-YYYY e.g. 07-Jun-2005
Where DD is the two-digit day
Mmm is the abbreviated month name (e.g. Feb)
YYYY is the four-digit year
Day values less than 10 must appear with a zero in the first position e.g. 08
Month names must be abbreviated to the first three letters
Day, month and year separators must be hyphens

10

Priority should be given to the patient name in that they are displayed above
the other identifiers.
First and last name must be clearly differentiated by using lower case letters
for first name (with upper case first letter) and UPPER CASE for last name,
and must be presented in the order: LAST NAME, First name9 e.g.
SMITH, John

There should be enough space to include long names, multiple names and
hyphenated.
Identifiers should be in a font size and style that is easy to read. Avoid italic,
simulated handwriting and ornate typefaces9. Use a common sans-serif
typeface like Arial, Helvetica or Frutiger Roman 11, 13. Use a minimum font size
of between 12 and 14 point (equivalent to a height of 2-2.3mm) 11, 12, 13.
Black text on a white background should be used to ensure the wristband is
clearly legible in reduced lighting conditions (such as wards at night) and by
those with visual impairments 11, 12.
The NHS Number consists of 10 digits the first nine digits constitute the
identifier and the tenth is a check digit that ensures its validity. The format for
display of the NHS Number must be 3 3 4, because this format aids accurate
reading and reduces the risk of transposing digits when information is taken
from a screen14.

16. Why is it a requirement of the Safer Practice Notice for Welsh

Organisations to include first line of address as a core identifier on a
patients wristband?
The use of the first line of address is a requirement of Welsh Health Circular
(2007) 042 Blood Transfusion, issued by the Welsh Assembly Government.
17. Why is it recommended that wristbands are white with black text
weve always used yellow bands because they show up well?
Black text on a white background is recommended as this provides the best
contrast, which is a vital factor in legibility (recommended by both the Royal
National Institute for the Blind and EuroBlind's guidance on accessible
information). The NHS Toolkit for Producing Patient Information recommends
'dark print on light background'.
2

Processes for producing, applying and checking

wristbands
1

18. Is there NPSA guidance on processes for issuing, checking and

changing wristbands?
The NPSA gives the following guidance:
Any member of staff who issues and checks wristbands should be trained and
work to clear and consistent processes that are defined in trust protocols. These
protocols should include processes for:
applying wristbands where patients are unable to supply the necessary
identification information;
ensuring the legibility of handwritten wristbands (until all wristbands can be
printed);

11

 the member of staff applying the wristband and the patient receiving it to
sign the patient record (or a relative or carer where the patient is unable to
do so) to verify that the details are correct;
re-applying wristbands that have been removed for clinical procedures,
taken off for some other purpose, or have fallen off;
updating the information on wristbands and re-applying if there is a need to
amend any of the identifiers, such as when an NHS Number is verified and
the band reprinted with updated information.
establishing correct patient identification prior to any treatment or care and
at handover, such as by asking the patient (where possible) to state their
first name, last name and date of birth, and checking these details against
the wristband and the clinical records.
1
19. Where should the patient and member of staff sign to say the
information on the wristband is correct, or that the wristband has been
changed for a specified reason?
The NPSA recommends that casenotes are the most logical place for the
member of staff and the patient to sign that the information on the wristband is
correct, or that the band has been changed for a reason that should be specified
such as when an NHS Number is verified and the band reprinted with updated
information. This is because casenotes (either temporary or permanent) are
available at the point of admission to the hospital, and are usually kept with a
patient as they move through different services.

The use of coloured wristbands

1

20. Why is the NPSA concerned about colour coding wristbands?

From the work that the NPSA has carried out on standardising wristbands it is
clear that there is inconsistent use of wristband colours throughout the NHS. This
is confusing and a risk to patient safety. Evidence from literature suggests that
there are a number of problems with colour-coded wristbands and little evidence
to support the effectiveness of their use. In one study where red wristbands were
used to indicate patients at risk of falls, this did not contribute to a reduction in
falls, as anticipated. Other research has shown that there are problems about the
accuracy of information provided by patients about allergies and other risks,
which is the basis for giving a patient a colour coded wristband. Sometimes the
information that is given by patients on admission is not reviewed or checked
further by staff so that the appropriateness or otherwise of a coloured wristband
can be reviewed. Also, even where patients do give accurate information about
allergies and other risks, there is evidence that this does not always trigger the
issue of a coloured wristband. See www.npsa.nhs.uk/alerts for more information
on this and related questions below.

21. Our trust currently uses red wristbands to identify if a patient has an
allergy. The system has been in place for over 10 years and is recognised
practice, so why should we stop it?
The NPSA believes that it is safest only to use a white wristband with black text
(and only one wristband per patient) so that there is no colour coding. However,
the response to our consultation about the draft Safer Practice Notice showed
that a significant proportion of respondents favoured the use of one colour to
represent particular patient risks. In response to that, the Notice provides for
those who want a colour coding system to identify a known risk to use a red
wristband for patients, with a white panel which will display patient identifiers in

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black text (see also question 15). This would be used instead of the white
wristband, as only one wristband should be worn.
1

1
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22. How will staff who move jobs know if their new healthcare organisation
is using a system of a red wristband for known risks?
New staff inductions should include providing information about whether patient
wristbands should be white only, or whether the healthcare organisation is using
a red wristband where there is a known risk. There should still be only one
wristband per patient i.e. the red wristband is not an additional band but
includes the patient identifiers. Staff moving between organisations should always
ensure they are aware of the organisations policies on wristbands before they
provide care to patients.
23. What patient risks should I use red wristbands for?
The NPSA believes that it is safest only to use a white wristband with black text
(and only one wristband per patient) so that there is no colour coding. If a
healthcare organisation wants to use colour coding, the NPSA recommends only
one colour, which is red, to be used for identifying a known risk. The type of risk
will need to be established from the patient record. Where a red wristband is
used to indicate a known patient risk no other wristband will be used, so this
should allow the patient identifiers to be presented in black text on a white panel
on the wristband. If labels are used these must comply with requirement that they
are durable for throughout the patients stay.

24. We currently use green wristbands for patients at risk of falls, how do
we protect these patients now?
Please see the previous questions and answers about colour coding and why the
NPSA believes it is safest only to use a white wristband with black text, but is
providing for those who want a colour coding system to identify a known risk to
use a red wristband for patients, with a white panel which will display patient
identifiers in black text. For guidance on reducing falls by hospital patients, please
see Slips, trips and falls in hospital, February 2007 (pdf) at
www.npsa.nhs.uk/alerts

25. What about food and nut allergic patients?

The SPN recommends that any known risk, and that includes an allergy, is
identified by the use of red on a wristband so the advice is as above. The exact
risk should then be identified in the patient notes.
26. We need to know when patients are radioactive, so why cant we use a
coloured wristband?
Some Medical Physics Department staff have been using either a yellow
wristband or a yellow and black wristband insert to show when patients are
radioactive as this provides vital information to staff while the patient is in transit
and on arrival at their destination, as there may be situations where the patient
record is not available. This is important, for example, in ultrasound departments
where a radioactive patient may be inadvertently placed next to patients awaiting
foetal ultrasound scans. The NPSA acknowledges that it is important that
hospitals and their staff are able to identify patients easily and reliably where they
have been administered radioactive substances, but this does not make the
argument for the use of another coloured wristband to do so.

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Other queries
If you have queries about the Safer Practice Notice which are not answered in
this guidance or in the separate Design Guidance (www.npsa.nhs.uk/alerts)
please send them to spn@npsa.nhs.uk

14

References and notes

1. Rozich JD et al. Standardization as a mechanism to improve safety in health
care. Mayo Health System, Eau Claire, Wisconsin, USA. 2006; Vincent CA.
Patient Safety, 2006; Bates DW. Using information technology to reduce rates
of medication errors in hospitals. BMJ, 320; 788-791; Berwick DM. Taking
action to improve safety: how to increase the odds of success. Rancho
Mirage, California 1998.
2. National Patient Safety Agency. Design and specification of patient
wristbands: Evidence from existing literature, NPSA-facilitated workshops,
and a NHS Trusts survey. Available at: www.npsa.nhs.uk
3. NPSA consultations with staff and patients identified concerns about the fit of
wristbands, that they can be either too tight or too loose. Accommodating the
range of patients could be achieved by:
Increase the maximum length available (current maximum appears to be
250-300mm). However, if excess length has to be cut from the
wristband staff should be able to do this safely, preferably without the
use of scissors. Cut ends should not be sharp.
Make wristbands available in a variety of sizes
4. Patients complain about wristbands being scratchy, itchy, sweaty and hot and
this can contribute to wristbands being removed. In particular, wristbands can
cause skin damage to newborn babies and to people with delicate or
vulnerable skin.
5. Patients are concerned that wristbands may be a potential source of infection
and should be easy to clean.
6. All staff, from nurses to administration staff and with a range of training and
experience, will issue wristbands and the wristband should be easy to use by
all staff.
7. Department of Health. Coding for success: simple technology for safer patient
care. February 2007.
8. Information on the Information Standards Board is available at
www.isb.nhs.uk
9. NHS Common User Interface (CUI) Clinical Applications and Patient Safety
(CAPS) Programme. www.cui.nhs.uk
Patient Name Input and Display, Friday, 29 February 2008, Version 1.0.0.0
Baseline
Design Guide Entry Date Display, Tuesday, 22 January 2008, Version
3.0.0.0 Baseline
10. Current performance of patient sample collection in the UK :Transfusion
Medicine 2004 : M. Murphy et al.
11. The Royal National Institute for the Blind guide Clear print guidelines
http://www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups/public/documents/publicwebsite/public_
printdesign.hcsp
12. Making your information accessible for customers with sight problems.
European Blind Union, 58, Avenue Bosquet, 75007 Paris France
www.euroblind.org
13. NHS toolkit for producing patient information. 2003 Department of Health
33952 3AP NOV03 (MUL)
14. NHS Common User Interface (CUI) Clinical Applications and Patient Safety
(CAPS) Programme. www.cui.nhs.uk
NHS Number Input and Display, Monday, 17 March 2008, Version 2.0.0.0
Baseline

15

Document Control
Change Record
Date
st

31 July 2008.
10th Dec 2008

Author

Version

Beverley Norris, NPSA

Chris Ranger, NPSA and NHS
CFH
Chris Ranger, NPSA and NHS
CFH

1.4
1.5

23rd March
2009-

Chris Ranger, NPSA and NHS

CFH

1.7

19th April 2009

Chris Ranger, NPSA and NHS

CFH

1.8

27th Jan 2009

1.6

Reason for Change

Algorithms added
Extended FAQs at ISB
request
Dec 08 ISB Board
output compliance
Final assessor
comments reviewed and
changes made
Updating references
and final check for
accuracy

Who Has Reviewed This Document

Name
Chris Ranger
Susan Bothwell
Julie Parry
Wendy Martin
Anita Dougall
Andrew Trew

Position
NPSA and NHS CFH
NPSA and North West SHA
NPSA
NPSA
NPSA
NPSA

Distribution
Name

Position

Yes Full information

ascertainable
Examples:
Companion/Carer knows
full details
Young child pt. knows full

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