Smartcard Connect and Series 10 Smartcards

Series 9 smartcards are no longer being manufactured, and Series 10 smartcards are now being issued as the default smartcard for new and replacement requests.

To manage Series 10 smartcards, organisations must use Smartcard Connect. This includes activities such as:

• Creating and issuing smartcards
• PIN resets
• Certificate renewals
• Other card management activities

Users who are simply authenticating with their smartcard can continue to use the supported legacy Identity Agent for now. Smartcard Connect is only required for smartcard management functions.

The NHS NEL IT team will shortly commence the rollout of Smartcard Connect software across all practices and other customers for whom they provide IT services.

Smartcard Connect User Behaviour Changes

As part of recent improvements to authentication, some users may notice a change in how smartcards behave. Previously, inserting a smartcard would automatically trigger the PIN entry window. This behaviour has changed and will no longer occur automatically.  Users should instead initiate authentication through the application they are accessing rather than relying on removing and reinserting their smartcard. Removing a smartcard no longer logs a user out of the application they are using. Application will need to be logged out of by the user. 

CIS1 Authentication SLA and Retirement

CIS1 Authentication has no service level agreement (SLA) and is only supported on a ‘reasonable endeavours’ basis. CIS1 Authentication will be retired and no longer work from 28th February 2027. 

All existing Identity Agent v2.4.10.0 users will have to use Smartcard Connect for smartcard authentication from this time. A reminder, we will be implementing rolling blocks on CIS1 Auth and the legacy IA More details available here: https://digital.nhs.uk/services/care–identity–service/releases–andplanned–maintenance/service–deprecation–andretirement/deprecation–notice–cis1–authentication

NCRS and TPP

Many organisations using SystmOne are not aware that it is possible to launch the National Care Records Service (NCRS) directly from a patient record using simple system configuration — no development or integration work required. More details available here: https://developer.community.nhs.uk/t/launch–ncrs–directly–fromsystmone–patient–records–no–development–required/13515

Smartcard Retention  

If a user is moving to a different healthcare organisation, their smartcard moves with them. The old access should be removed, and the new organisation will apply new access to your existing smartcard.

Your local RA contact: NEL ICB RA Team – itservicedesk.nelicb@nhs.net

Ray Adeniyi ,RA Manager – NHS North East London