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FP69 Flags

What is an FP69?

FP69s are flags set on patients Personal Demographic Service (PDS) record, also commonly referred to as Spine. They are set when:

  • PCSE receive notification of mail that has been returned undelivered.
  • A patient has failed to respond to a request to confirm their details, often as part of a patient list inflation exercise.

When an FP69 flag is applied to a patients record in PDS, a notification is sent to the relevant GP practices clinical system via GP Links on the day the flag is set.

From this date practices have three months (or six months, if the flag was set before 1 October 2025) to contact the patient and confirm their address information. 

If no response is received after the three month period and the patient is over the age of 18, they will be deducted. If the patient is under 18, no deduction will take place for safeguarding reasons, however, checks should still be made to ensure the correct address information is held. 

Find out more about the FP69 flag process here.

What should a practice do when it receives an FP69 notification? 

It is important to contact the patient as soon as possible to confirm their details. 

We’ve outlined some common scenarios that may arise from this contact, what actions the practice must take, and how PCSE will respond. Click on each scenario below to see the next steps. 

Scenario 1: Patients whereabouts are unknown and / or cannot be contacted

 

Patients whereabouts are unknown and / or cannot be contacted.

Practice will:

  • Submit a deduction request on your clinical system.
  • In the GP Message field use the drop down free text option: 'Gone Away / Address Unknown 6 month'

PCSE will:

  • Deduct the patient with immediate effect.
Scenario 2: Patient has confirmed they have an updated address outside of the practice area, Practice would like the patient to be deducted

 

Patient has confirmed they have an updated address outside of the practice area. Practice would like the patient to be deducted. 

Practice has two options:

  1. Submit a deduction request on your clinical system. In the GP Message / Free Text field provide the patients new address in full so it can be traced  and verified by PCSE.
  2. Amend the address on your clinical system and also submit a deduction as per option 1.

PCSE will:

  1. Setup a pending removal for 30 days time.
  2. Cancel the FP69 flag.
  3. Amend the address of the patient (if the address is in England).
  4. Send a letter to the patient informing them of their upcoming removal.
  5. If the patient re-registers with a new GP practice before the 30 days, a deduction will be sent to your clinical system immediately, otherwise one will be sent day 31.
Scenario 3: Patients whereabouts are unknown and / or cannot be contacted


 

Patients whereabouts are unknown and / or cannot be contacted.

Practice will:

  • Submit a deduction request on your clinical system.
  • In the GP Message field use the drop down free text option: 'Gone Away / Address Unknown 6 months

PCSE will:

  • Deduct the patient with immediate effect.
Scenario 4: Patients whereabouts are unknown and / or cannot be contacted


 

Patients whereabouts are unknown and / or cannot be contacted.

Practice will:

  • Submit a deduction request on your clinical system.
  • In the GP Message field use the drop down free text option: 'Gone Away / Address Unknown 6 month'

PCSE will:

  • Deduct the patient with immediate effect.
Scenario 5: Patients whereabouts are unknown and / or cannot be contacted


 

Patients whereabouts are unknown and / or cannot be contacted.

Practice will:

  • Submit a deduction request on your clinical system.
  • In the GP Message field use the drop down free text option: 'Gone Away / Address Unknown 6 month'

PCSE will:

  • Deduct the patient with immediate effect.
Top tip!:

Top tip!

PCSE’s processing of requests submitted by GP practices via GP Links where a patient has an FP69 is often dependent on comments supplied in the GP Message / Free Text field. Remember to; 

  • Use the relevant options from the dropdown menus available. 
  • Avoid entering your own Free Text statements unless absolutely necessary.  
  • Avoid using abbreviations 

Free typed messages from practices need to be interpreted by PCSE staff. Whilst well intended, these can be ambiguous and result in the incorrect actions being taken by PCSE. This could result in FP69 flags not being removed and incorrect deductions.  

This may negatively impact practice global sum payments, and potentially clinical impact patients.

Additional information

PCSE set FP69 flags on behalf of other organisations in the NHS that have received returned mail such as cancer screening programmes. 

PCSE recommend that any removal, as a result of an FP69 expiring after 3 months, is reviewed to ensure this is correct. 

If the deduction has occurred but you believe you had confirmed the address details to PCSE during the 3 month window, the patient can be re-registered. Please let us know about this error using this online form.  

If you were unaware of the FP69 flag or were unable to check their address, the patient will need to complete registration forms. 

Support

Take a look at our FP69 flag FAQs here.

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