The medic import process allows superusers to bring medic details into NHS At Work and create ready-to-roster profiles. To keep things consistent and avoid errors, it’s important to make sure your import file is accurate and formatted correctly. This guide covers completing the file, ready to import, and shares tips to help you avoid common mistakes. For further information on how to import your completed file, see ‘The Medic Import Process’ guide.
Downloading the Medic Import File
To get started, you can download a template import file from NHS At Work:
In the left-hand menu, go to ‘Administration’, then ‘Staff’, and ‘Staff List’
From the ellipsis menu on the right-hand side, click on ‘Sample Import File’
Click on the popup in the top right corner of your browser to open the downloaded file.
Completing the Medic Import File
The template Import File is an Excel document and is structured as below:
Each medic’s data is split into 2 sections:
The first section (no colour) holds core medic details, such as Name, Assignment number, GMC and Deanery number. Each new colourless row denotes the start of a new medic record.
The second section (multi-coloured) contains placement and contractual details that may change with each rotation.
Here’s a quick overview of each field, what it means, and any rules to keep in mind. A red exclamation mark ! means the field is mandatory - these fields must always be filled in, even if the medic has an existing profile, so that the system knows which record to update.
Field
Restrictions
Impact
! Assignment Number
Max 100 characters
Numeric Only
Acts as the unique identifier for the medic and their post throughout NHS At Work and across systems e.g. when exporting absence to ESR.
If assignment number does not match and the medic already has a profile, the line will error stating the GMC already exists.
! GMC/gdc
Numeric Only
Must not be more than 7 characters
If the GMC does not match, but the email address and Assignment number match an existing record, the GMC will be updated. It is therefore essential that this is accurate.
! Medic First Name
Max 50 characters
If first name or last name do not match and the medic already has a profile, the line will error stating the GMC already exists.
! Medic Last Name
Max 50 characters
Contact Number
Max 25 characters
Optional field
Can be used by roster administrators to contact medics if needed. It is therefore usually preferable for this to be a work phone number.
If the assignment number and email address both match an existing record, but the phone number doesn’t, the phone number will be updated.
! Email Address
Mandatory
All system notifications will go to this email address and it will become the medic’s username.
Leaving Date
Optional field
It is recommended that this field be left blank unless a medic’s leaving date is absolutely confirmed.
Deanery Post Number
Must not be more than 15 characters
Not mandatory, but if left blank on the import, a deanery post number on an existing medic profile would be removed.
Employee Number
Mandatory
Usually 8 characters, employee number is a medic’s unique identifier in ESR.
Top Tip! You won’t be able to change email addresses once uploaded – a superuser will need to raise a ticket with the Liaison Support Team - so double-check them before importing! It’s best practice to use a work email address.
Field
Restrictions
Impact
! Main Site
Alphanumeric
Records the main site shown on the medic’s profile and whether a medic is included when Site filters are used.
! Main Site Start Date
Date Only
The date the medic starts on this site.
Main Site End Date
Date Only
(Optional Field)
The date the medic stops working on this site, if known.
Field
Restrictions
Impact
! Specialty
Alphanumeric
Records the Specialty shown on the medic’s profile and whether a medic is included when Specialty filters are used.
! Specialty Start Date
Date Only
The date the medic starts in this Specialty.
Specialty End Date
Date Only
Optional Field
The date the medic stops working in this Specialty, if known.
Field
Restrictions
Impact
! Grade
Alphanumeric
Records the Grade shown on the medic’s profile and whether a medic is included when Grade filters are used.
! Grade Start Date
Date Only
The date the medic starts in this Grade.
Grade End Date
Date Only
Optional Field
The date the medic stops working in this Grade, if known.
Field
Restrictions
Impact
LTFT 1
Numeric
Records the Percentage of a WTE the medic is contracted to work e.g. If a medic is contracted as a 0.6 WTE, enter 60 into the LTFT field.
LTFT 1 Start Date
Date Only
The date the medic starts this contract.
LTFT 1 End Date
Date Only
Optional Field
The date the medic stops working in this contract, if known.
Top Tip! Site, Specialty and Grade are only mandatory fields for new medics. They are not mandatory for medics already in the system i.e. you are importing updates.
Top Tip! For fields like Site, Specialty, and Grade, it’s a good idea to copy from the list of existing items in NHS At Work. This helps avoid typos and keeps everything consistent, especially when different users are creating imports.
Field
Restrictions
Impact
Rota Code
Alphanumeric
Assigns the medic to the appropriate rota ready to be assigned to a slot. This can be added after import if you do not yet know the rota code.
Rota Code Start Date
Date Only
The date the medic starts working on this rota code. The medic cannot be assigned to shifts on this rota outside of the dates entered here.
Rota Code End Date
Date Only
Optional Field
The date the medic stops working on this rota code, if known. The medic cannot be assigned to shifts on this rota outside of the dates entered here.
Top Tip! If you don’t yet know a medic’s rota code, you can enter ‘None’ with an appropriate start date and assign the rota code later from the Staff List screen in NHS At Work. Remember though that it’s quicker to import this if it’s available.