# Provenance stamped 2026-10-07 (roadmap#943): written by an API Evangelist sweep (undated — the file carries no date and git cannot supply one), not
# harvested from the provider. `method: generated` so the economics campaign may replace it with a
# dated, verbatim transcription; every figure below is unverified until it does.
# Coverage demoted 2026-10-07 (roadmap#942, PLAN.md Stage A): this file was written by an API Evangelist
# sweep and names no billing unit, meters or pricing category read from the provider — it restates the
# FinOps framework. It is `x-coverage: unmeasured`, and the FOCUS alignment it claimed has been removed.
x-coverage: unmeasured
method: generated
name: NHS Digital API FinOps
description: >-
  NHS England Digital APIs are provided free of charge as a public service to
  support healthcare interoperability across England. There are no subscription
  fees, usage-based charges, or commercial pricing tiers. Costs associated with
  API usage are internal NHS infrastructure costs borne by NHS England.
  Third-party organisations integrating with NHS APIs bear their own development,
  hosting, and operational costs for their systems but pay nothing to NHS England
  for API access.
url: https://digital.nhs.uk/services/api-platform
model: free-at-point-of-use
pricing:
  api-access-fee: 0
  currency: GBP
  notes: >-
    All NHS Digital APIs are free to access for organisations that complete
    the onboarding and assurance process. The API service is described by
    NHS England as "free and available to anyone" who meets the eligibility
    criteria.

cost-considerations:
  - category: Development
    description: >-
      Internal development and integration costs are borne by the connecting
      organisation or their technology supplier.

  - category: Onboarding
    description: >-
      The onboarding and assurance process requires staff time for completing
      the NHS Data Security and Protection Toolkit, DTAC assessment, clinical
      safety documentation, and Digital Onboarding Service application. No
      direct fee is charged by NHS England for this process.

  - category: Infrastructure
    description: >-
      Connecting organisations are responsible for their own hosting,
      connectivity (including N3/HSCN network access where required), and
      operational infrastructure costs.

  - category: HSCN Connectivity
    description: >-
      Some NHS APIs (particularly older Spine-connected services) require
      Health and Social Care Network (HSCN) connectivity, which has its own
      connection fees charged by network service providers.
    url: https://digital.nhs.uk/services/health-and-social-care-network

  - category: Certification
    description: >-
      Clinical safety assessments (DCB0129 for manufacturers, DCB0160 for
      health organisations) may require third-party clinical safety officer
      (CSO) engagement, which has associated professional service costs.

value-for-money:
  notes: >-
    NHS Digital APIs provide access to national-scale patient data infrastructure
    including patient demographics (PDS), prescriptions (EPS), referrals (e-RS),
    and care records at no direct cost to integrators. This significantly reduces
    the data infrastructure investment required for NHS-connected digital health
    products.