We've built a new, streamlined application to help NHS smartcard holders to unlock their own smartcards.
All users who have an email address associated with their Care Identity profile can use the application, without needing to register for it.
The short URL for the new application is digital.nhs.uk/unlock
What you should do now
Smartcard holders should check that they have an email address associated with their Care Identity profile. Find out how to do this.
Registration Authorities can also add an email address to a user's profile. This will allow the smartcard holder to use the new application.
Benefits of the new application
Users can now unlock their smartcard by requesting a one-time security code is sent to their email address. It's also the quickest way for someone to reset their passcode if they've forgotten it, or if they want to change it for any reason.
Smartcard holders can automatically use the new application if they have a valid email address on their Care Identity profile. This means:
- there's no need to register
- there are no security questions to remember
- nobody needs to take their card to a Registration Authority to have it unlocked
- everyone can access the application using a regular internet connection
Benefits to the NHS
If everyone who is eligible to use the application did so, it would save the NHS more than 16,000 working hours per month.
Between 50,000 and 60,000 smartcards are unlocked in person by Registration Authorities every month, and it takes on average 20 minutes of NHS time to unlock a smartcard in person.
Who can use the new application?
A smartcard holder can use this application if:
- they have a locked smartcard, or they've forgotten their passcode or want to change it
- they have an email address (on the email domain allow list) associated with their Care Identity profile
- they have access to that email account
If a smartcard holder does not have a valid email address on their profile, or they cannot access their email, they will need to contact their Registration Authority (smartcard team) to unlock their smartcard.
Registration Authorities can add an email address to a user with a locked smartcard, allowing an already locked smartcard to be unlocked remotely.
How to access the new application
If a user's smartcard is locked they should follow these steps:
- Remove their smartcard from the smartcard reader. This ensures they have no open, active Care Identity session, which could cause an error.
- Go to the new application and follow the instructions.
The application will email them a one-time security code that they can use to reset the passcode on their smartcard.
More information
For full details of the new application, read our guidance on the new self-service smartcard unlock.
