How to Access Care Identity Service (CIS)
Care Identity Service (CIS) is the Spine application used to manage smartcards and smartcard access. Machines used to access CIS must conform to the Spine Warranted Environment Specification. CIS is accessed via the NHS Spine Portal. Where smartcard management will take place such as unlocking and renewing certificates the machine used must have two smartcard readers attached.
The latest smartcard authentication software – NHS Identity Agent – plus additional components/drivers is available from the NHS Digital site here https://nww.digital.nhs.uk/dir/downloads/
Any user with a working smartcard can access the NHS Spine Portal and CIS. What systems/functions can be accessed depends on the access control position(s)/access rights the user has on their own smartcard profile.
PROCESS STEPS – Access Care Identity Service (CIS)
This process can be followed by any smartcard user.
Insert smartcard into the usual smartcard reader. A prompt will appear requesting the passcode/PIN to be entered similar to the images below depending on the software configuration.
Enter passcode/PIN and press Enter. If more than one role, click the session role required.
If authentication is successful the following message will appear.
Go to the NHS Spine Portal at the following address – https://portal.national.ncrs.nhs.uk/ – in the web browser address bar eg. Internet Explorer 11. Google Chrome/FireFox not recommended since they no longer support Java. Chrome may be compatible if an extension is installed but card unlock/renewal can only be performed in Internet Explorer.
The NHS Spine Portal landing page will load. Accept/Run any security warnings which may appear.
PLEASE NOTE: if this page fails to load please contact the NECS Service Desk for assistance. For organisations where NECS do not supply IT Support – please contact your own IT Service.
From the list of applications, click on Launch Care Identity Service. The CIS Dashboard should now load. Accept/Run any security warnings which may appear.
Again, if CIS fails to load please contact the NECS Service Desk for assistance. For organisations where NECS do not supply IT Support – please contact your own IT Service.
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