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API migration frequently asked questions

When will the new Content API be available?

The new NHS Website Content API v2 is now fully available to users.

If you are using one or more of the following v1 APIs you need to migrate to the new Content API before 30 November 2024:

  • Health A to Z (conditions)
  • Medicines A to Z
  • Mental health
  • Live Well
  • Pregnancy
  • NHS services

Please refer to the migration guide to assist you with this process.

What's happening to the Service Search API and the Ratings and Reviews API?

The Service Search API will also be migrated to the NHS England API platform. The Service Search API is already being added to the platform, and when it is ready we will let you know how to start using it. We will provide further information about the Ratings and Reviews API soon.

When will the old APIs stop working?

The old APIs will stop working on 30 November 2024.

When can we access the new platform?

You can sign up to the new platform now at https://digital.nhs.uk/developer.

How is the new platform different to the current platform?

The new platform hosts many NHS APIs. It enables sandboxing environments and has an online developer community where API users can communicate with each other and get advice.

Where is the documentation for the new API?

The documentation for the new API has been published on the NHS England API platform.

What will the migration involve?

You will need to sign up to the NHS England API platform at https://digital.nhs.uk/developer, generating a new subscription key (apikey), and then changing the endpoints you use to consume the current APIs. We have created a migration guide to help you through the migration process and a migration assistant to highlight the changes you will need to make when calling the API. The structure of the JSON responses will remain unchanged.

What are the differences between the old and new APIs?

There is no difference in functionality between the old and new APIs.

The new Content API integrates the functionality of all the following APIs:

  • Health A to Z (conditions)
  • Medicines A to Z
  • Mental health
  • Live Well
  • Pregnancy
  • NHS services

This means you will not need to be subscribed to multiple APIs to consume textual content and images from different areas of the NHS website.

Who can we contact with queries?

You can use the contact form at https://www.nhs.uk/contact-us/nhs-website-contact-us to get in touch with us.

When will the new Service Search API be available?

We plan for the new Service Search API to be available in early 2025, we will provide exact dates when these are known.

When will the new Ratings and Reviews API be available?

We will provide further information about the Ratings and Reviews API soon.

What are some of the benefits to the migration?

The new platform has an online developer community where you can communicate with other people using the API and ask questions - we hope that this means you will be able to resolve problems more quickly and easily.

The roadmap for the NHS England API platform is published openly and this should help you to see what new features are coming up. You can also suggest new features. The platform hosts a range of NHS APIs.

The new merged Content API will mean that you only have to sign up to one API to consume textual content and images from the NHS website, rather than different APIs for different areas of content. You will also only need one key to access the API.