Integration for GP locum pension submissions (currently via PCSE)

API Platform
1

Hello

I am a GP and software developer seeking guidance on how digital platforms could integrate with NHS pensions/PCSE Online to submit LocA and LocB pension FORMS required by nhsp/pcse for individual locum GPs to submit when pension ing their work. Currently, all submissions must be done manually through the portal, creating administrative burden and increasing the risk of errors for clinicians and PCSE staff. I am aware an api already exists that involves the pcse database arou d ophthalmology payments and so it feels realistic to hope a method to digitise flow of GP locum pension records is within reach.

I’ve contacted several potential stakeholders in the pension submission flow, with PCSE confirming they cannot authorise third-party write access themselves and advised contacting NHS England regarding integration policy. No one in nhs England has helped either signposting me to a dead end or simply not replying. I have also emailed the NHSBA, NHS Digital and the interoperability team at dataservicessupport@nhsba.nhs.uk- enquiries@nhsdigital.nhs.uk- and england.interoperability@nhs.net with no luck. I’m feeling a bit at a loss as I initiallyunderstood the NHS was looking to simplify connection to its resources from third parties - but every corner I turn I am drawing a blank. I’m really hoping this community can assist.

I am looking for advice on:

  • The process to request or define an official API or endpoint to support automated submission of LocA/LocB data.
  • Relevant NHS teams or contacts responsible for approving such integration.

Any guidance or pointers to the right contacts or resources would be greatly appreciated.

Best wishes

Sam

2

Hi Sam,

Thank you for your patience with your query and fully understand the frustration you have experienced.

The key point here is that there is currently no publicly available API or onboarding route via the NHS API Platform for GP locum pension submissions (LocA/LocB) or PCSE Online.

The reason for the above is because :

  • PCSE Online is operated on behalf of NHS England (by Capita)
  • It is primarily a portal-based service, not an API-enabled platform for third-party integrations
  • Submission of LocA/LocB forms is currently designed as a manual workflow
  • The NHS API Platform does not expose APIs for:
    • pensions submissions
    • PCSE workflows
    • NHS Pensions processing

The ophthalmology example you referenced is a specific commissioned integration, not a generally available API capability.

Given where you are, the most effective path is to engage via a sponsoring organisation as you will need backing from one of:

  • an ICB
  • a GP federation / large practice group
  • an NHS England programme (Primary Care / Workforce)

This may give the proposal the necessary weight to be considered as a service improvement as this seems sits at the intersection of policy, operations, and national services rather than just technology.

Hope the above helps.

Thanks,

NHS England API Platform team

Please note: The API Platform team can only address queries relevant to the NHS England API platform, including security, rate limiting, logging, monitoring and alerting. For any API, CIS2, NHS Login specific queries, please reach out the relevant API / Service teams.

3

Thank you, Navin, for the detailed explanation — it’s helpful in clarifying both the current limitations and the wider context.

I understand from your response that there is no publicly available API or onboarding route for third party digital integration of LocA/LocB submissions either directly to NHS pensions or via PCSE Online, and that the current process is designed as the manual, portal-based workflow the 15-17 thousand GP locums use each year.

I will follow up via ICB contacts as suggested.
I had a couple of follow-up points, if you’re able to comment further:

  • While there is no public API, are you able to comment (at a high level) on whether the underlying integration between PCSE and NHS Pensions is API-based internally, or handled via other mechanisms (e.g. batch processing)? I appreciate you may not be able to go into detail, but any general steer would be helpful in understanding whether this is purely a governance barrier versus a technical one. Or both!
  • Is there a specific team or programme within NHS England or NHS Pensions that owns the LocA/LocB submission pathway? If so, are you able to share a point of contact or route for engaging with them to explore this as a potential service improvement once I obtain ICB backing?

Any further direction would be appreciated.

Best wishes

Sam

4

Hi Sam,

I guess your instinct is right, this is not purely a technical limitation, but a combination of:

  • Service design
  • Governance and assurance
  • Legacy integration patterns (batch vs real-time APIs)

In other words, even if there is API-style integration internally, it is not designed or exposed for third-party consumption, and enabling that would require redesign across multiple layers.

From an ownership perspective, it could come under the remit of NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA) who will then have to get agreement for Data ownership, Submission authority, Validation rules, Legal/accountability boundaries etc at a national level.

Hope this helps.

Thanks,

NHS England API Platform team

Please note: The API Platform team can only address queries relevant to the NHS England API platform, including security, rate limiting, logging, monitoring and alerting. For any API, CIS2, NHS Login specific queries, please reach out the relevant API / Service teams.