IM1 is the NHS standard that lets other tools connect to the main GP clinical systems (electronic health records, EHRs): EMIS Web, SystmOne and Vision. Connecting is checked nationally. How you use it is up to you.
- Whose job
- The supplier, with national assurance
- Who usually leads
- Supplier. Your CSO looks at local risks.
- How often
- Before you switch on a linked tool
What it is
IM1 (short for Interface Mechanism 1) is a set of standard connections into the main GP clinical systems. A tool that is “paired” through IM1 can read patient information, extract data in bulk, or enter data into the record.1
Before a pairing goes live, the supplier has to show evidence that the connection works as it should, and this is assured nationally.1
Three ways a tool can connect
What national assurance doesn’t cover
IM1 assurance is about the connection. It doesn’t look at your practice’s workflows, your staff, or how a tool’s output is checked before it’s saved. That’s what your clinical safety assessment is for.
What to ask
- Does your product read from our clinical system, write to it, or both?
- What exactly does it write, and does a person check it first?
- What happens if the connection drops part-way through?
- Which of these risks are in your hazard log?
References
- IM1 pairing integration. NHS England
Sources on this page last checked 6 November 2026.