specification: FinOps Framework
specificationVersion: '1.0'
schema: https://www.finops.org/framework/
provider: GP Connect (NHS England)
providerId: gp-connect
created: '2026-06-13'
modified: '2026-06-13'
reconciled: true
tags:
  - FinOps
  - Cost Management
  - NHS
  - FHIR
  - Healthcare
  - UK
  - Public Sector
description: >
  GP Connect is a publicly funded NHS England national interoperability
  programme. There is no direct API-call cost to consuming organisations;
  the infrastructure is funded by NHS England centrally. FinOps considerations
  for NHS organisations adopting GP Connect are therefore primarily indirect:
  integration engineering costs, clinical safety officer time, information
  governance review, and HSCN connectivity charges (for clinical system APIs).
  Patient-facing APIs require NHS login integration, which may have associated
  NHS login programme costs.
sources:
  - https://digital.nhs.uk/services/gp-connect
  - https://digital.nhs.uk/services/health-and-social-care-network
  - https://digital.nhs.uk/developer/guides-and-documentation/reference-guide#service-levels
alignedWith:
  framework: FinOps Foundation Framework
  frameworkUrl: https://www.finops.org/framework/
  dataSpec: FOCUS
  dataSpecVersion: '1.3'
  dataSpecUrl: https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
publisherName: NHS England (NHS Digital)
serviceCategory: Healthcare Interoperability
billingModel:
  pricingCategory: Publicly-Funded (No Direct API Cost)
  pricingUnit: null
  pricingCurrency: GBP
  invoicingCadence: null
  commitments:
    - type: HSCN Connectivity
      description: >
        Clinical GP Connect APIs (Access Record Structured, Access Document,
        Appointment Management, Send Document, Update Record) require a
        Health and Social Care Network (HSCN) connection. HSCN connectivity
        is procured separately from NHS England or via a network service
        provider; costs vary by organisation size and connectivity tier.
    - type: NHS Login Integration
      description: >
        Patient-facing GP Connect APIs (Patient Facing Access Record,
        Patient Facing Appointment Management, Prescriptions Management)
        require NHS login at P9 identity verification level. NHS login
        programme participation may have associated assurance and
        onboarding costs.
meters:
  - name: api-calls
    description: GP Connect API calls — no direct per-call charge.
    unit: request
    focusServiceCategory: Healthcare Interoperability
  - name: hscn-connectivity
    description: >
      HSCN network connectivity required for clinical APIs. Billed by
      HSCN network service provider, not by NHS England directly.
    unit: month
    focusServiceCategory: Networking
costOptimizationNotes: >
  The primary cost levers for GP Connect adoption are integration
  engineering effort (one-time), clinical safety officer and IG review
  (recurring per release), and HSCN bandwidth (operational). There are
  no per-request or per-user API fees to optimise against.