Learn more about the Patchwork/ESR Integration
What is ESR
The Electronic Staff Record (ESR) is a payroll database system commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Care that NHS organisations can use. ESR is used by 99% of NHS Trusts and manages the payroll for over one million NHS employees.
ESR offers a hub that gives NHS employees control over their personal data as well as access to payslips, total reward statements, and e-learning.
ESR supports the delivery of national workforce policy and strategy. It provides NHS organisations with several tools and functions to record and analyse data about their workforce. Effective use of ESR functionality helps to support workforce management and planning.
Patchwork Health and ESR
In our continued commitment to increase efficiency and further simplify how care is delivered through interoperability, Patchwork is pleased to provide support for integrating with ESR for key payroll and absence workflows.
How do I get the ESR interfaces live?
Once discussed with your relevant Patchwork lead, a service request needs to be raised via the ESR service desk. You can do this by visiting https://servicedesk.esr.nhs.uk and nativating to 'Request a new Service'. Then select 'ESR Interfaces' and click 'Rostering system interfaces'-
- Requested Date for Go Live - At the earliest available date
- What is the name of the solution you wish to interface with? Patchwork Health
- Who supplies the solution, or is this a locally developed solution? Patchwork Health
- What business functionality will the solution provide? This will ensure up to date worker records in for our Trust in Patchwork and allow a seamless transfer of payment and absence data into ESR, so that our workers can get paid correctly
- What interfaces are you asking us to switch on for you (or if you are uncertain, what data will you require)? All three interfaces; Outbound Rostering Interface, Generic Absence Inbound Interface and Generic Attendance Inbound Interface
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- Have you read, and do you agree to, the statement above regarding your duties as Data Controller? Yes
If you are a Bank only customer you WON’T need the Absence interface
What happens next?
Once the service request is received, the NHS ESR Systems Integration Team will agree implementation timescales & pricing with your NHS Organisation and your NHS Organisation will be added to the implementation schedule. Implementations usually take between 4-6 weeks.
The NHS ESR Systems Integration Team will request a Letter of Commitment and Purchase Order from your NHS Organisation. This letter is an agreement from the NHS Organisation confirming that they accept the implementation and annual support charges for this interface. The NHS ESR Systems Integration Team must receive this letter before the implementation process can begin.
What interfaces do I need for Rostering?
- For rostering a customer will need the following 3 interfaces:
- Generic Outbound Rostering interface
- Generic Time & Attendance Inbound Interface
- Generic Absence Inbound Interface
What interfaces do I need for Bank?
- If Bank only, a customer only needs the following 2 interfaces:
- Generic Outbound Rostering interface
- Generic Time & Attendance Inbound Interface
How long will it take to get the interfaces live?
ESR guidance is that interface implementation 4-6 weeks. Note this is only once the Service Request has been approved (see the above steps on how this should can be requested)
How much does it cost?
Costs will be determined by ESR and will be communicated to the Trust in the process of raising the Service Request. Costs vary based on a few factors so there is no “fixed-fee”, however a trust can expect to pay an implementation fee and a yearly maintenance fee for each interface.
Who pays for the interfaces?
This is paid for by the Trust. They will need to sign a Letter of Commitment and provide a Purchase Order to ESR as an agreement to pay these presented charges.
When should I raise the service request?
As soon as possible. In our experience so far the whole process of Raising a Service request → Getting the interfaces live takes between 8-12 weeks. Therefore we want to encourage customers to raise the Service Request at the earliest possible date.
Can I add interfaces at a later date?
Yes, as the customer, you will need to raise another service request via the ESR service desk.
How is data transferred to and from ESR?
The interfaces operate via a Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP) that uses secure shell encryption to provide a high level of security for sending and receiving file transfers