Genealogy Chat

I think you actually get your Nat.Health no. when you are born. When you have a baby you are given a medical card for it, and its number is on there. Then you present that card every time you change doctors.............the hospital numbers all differing is a great nuisance.
Many years ago when I was nursing we used to get sent down to the medical records store in the basement of the hospital to get peoples' notes for clinics. These notes were in pink files which were all dusty and bulging and often split with bits of paper falling out of them. How anyone ever got the right treatment was a miracle....
......also when my mother in law died and we needed her notes because of her will.........we were actually given the original notes. On reading through them very carefully we found several bits of paper referring to totally different people that had been misfiled..... name totally different and even wrong sex........We sent these back with a note pointing out where we had found them.............
I would bet that things are not actually much better now with computer records. You wouldn't even know that there was a 'wrong' person's note in a computer file unless you read every bit of it. At least with a bit of paper you can see it immediately.

Your National Health Service Number is allocated to you when you register with a GP - this is then sent to you on a Medical card.
When you are admitted to hospital you are given a Hospital Number. This will change depending on the hospital. Different hospital, different number.
These are not the same. Confusing ???????
When old enough to work - just before your 16 th birthday you are sent a National Insurance number.
Hope this helps
Joan

Please someone correct me if I am wrong-------the National Health number is not the same as the National Insurance number.
When there was rationing in the war everyone was given a number. When the National Health Service started shortly after the war the numbers were used for that, as everyone already had one. Your number went by family so I think that it was father,mother, then children in order of birth...........this would have been, and I think has been used in the past to trace adopted children.................however a few years ago all our numbers were changed because of the ease of identity fraud using these numbers.........
Othere people on the adoption threads will have more accurate knowledge than I do.........it seems however that the 'numbers game' for tracing has been closed to us.
There must presumably, somewhere be a cross-reference list of old and 'new' numbers...........but you can bet that you will not be allowed to access it................

Still searching for my full sister
Jennifer Ann..........born 22nd September 1945 in Woking Maternity Hospital and adopted, but not to the same family as I. Our mother Muriel Ethel M......... nee H......... lived in Bisley.
Eileen
birth name

Thanks Kay

For the life of me I couldn't remember the name Traceline... though I did think it was dis-continued and a shame really.
Cheers Gerry

Thanks to EVERYONE who offered suggestions. It gives lots to ponder.

Cheers,
Margaret x

I know it doesn't help with the query but your NHS number is used by HMRC and is to all intents and purposes your Tax Identification number.

If you have a PEP or an ISA you are also required to divulge it to the financial service providor who in turn uses it to report to HMRC.

The point being it is not as sacrosanct as you might think, particularly as HMRC have just had two scathing reports on the poor manner in which they (fail..!) to look after your person data properly.

The GRO Traceline has discontinued that part of its service,

DHSS/ or DWP.as its now called will not divulage any personsal data willingly on anyone,its confidential information,(or should be)

NI-National Insurance number information,it can only be given to an employer who employes someone and they dont know what thier NI is.and an employer needs it for deduction in National Insurance purposes,

Salvation Army do not undertake cases if it concerns any aspect of Adoption,

Margaret the UK have organised* approved* agencies who undertake this type of work,charges are made,

*Norcap* are well known in the field of parent /.child search,visit their website.

have you thought about contacting the salvation army i believe that they do searching and also make contact and act as a go between, from what i have been lead to believe its worth a try.

There used to be a department attached to GRO that would search the NHS no and let the searcher know if the number is still current. If not current either the person has died or left the country. For about 30 pounds they would forward a letter. This service didn't give out the persons address. I'm not sure if this service still exists as I can't find it on the GRO website anymore.
However, if it was adoption related they would not undertake the search.
Cheers Gerry

DHSS = Department of Health and Social Security.

If you have an address where she was in 1951, was she old enough to vote at that time (21)? If so you could check with the library nearest to the address (most have email if you google) to see if she is on the electoral register for that time. It may then be possible to see how long she was at that address and also if she moved to any other address in the same area.

Kath. x

Hi Liz.
As I just mentioned in a post to Kay. I am in Calififornia. Although born in England, raised in Blackpool. A long,long,long,time ago.
What is DHSS ?

Margaret

Thanks Kay,

We have been looking for a marriage. Have come up with a couple of possibilities and still awaiting marriage certs. They may or may not help.
We do know where she worked in Blackpool in 1951 and I was wondering if we could get the NHI number with that knowledge ??????? how would I contact NHI ?( I am in California) Do they have a department for Tracing people ?

I'm sure there are some experienced sleuths out there that could solve this problem. What do you think ??????????

Margaret

Have you tried the DHSS, they may be able to help or offer suggestions.
Good luck,
Liz

Margaret,,A possible marriage would be a starting point,depending on the persons name it could be near easy easy or very very hard,,

Thanks Everyone for your in-put. How do I find NI tracing ? Actually I'm trying to help a friend find her birth mother. I think it is possible that my friend may have her b.mother's NHS number from records she has been able to aquire. The last address she had for her mother was in Blackpool 1951 ( my friend was born in 1950) Nothing since. ANY suggestions ??? where would you start looking ?

Thanks,
Margaret

Margaret

I would very doubt much doubt you could trace someone from their NHS number as there is more than likely an 100 year information closure on the record.

The NHS celebrates it's 60th anniversary this year in the UK so any records will fall well within the 100 year closure limitations.

However if you have the person's National Insurance number then you could use the NI tracing service to find the individual.

If the individual is still alive then they will forward a letter to a named person.

Chris.

An NHS number isn't anywhere on a death certificate, so I doubt it. Who are you looking for?

Kath. x

who are you looking for ?

Hi Everyone,
Just wondering ........
Is it possible to trace someone by their NHS number.
Could you find a death if you have this number ?

Margaret