Directory of Services (DoS)
Published on: 26th January 2017 | Updated on: 9th December 2025
The Directory of Services (DoS) is a secure NHS England database that provides real-time service information to NHS 111 call handlers and other healthcare professionals. It helps ensure patients are referred to the right service at the right time — including community pharmacies.
Pharmacy services and opening hours are listed in DoS, and keeping this information accurate is vital for NHS 111 and other urgent care teams to refer patients appropriately — for example, to the Pharmacy First service.
DoS is not publicly accessible, as it includes private contact details for healthcare use only. However, pharmacy teams can view and update their DoS profiles via web-based tools.
Click on a heading below for more information
Pharmacy owners must keep their DoS profile accurate and complete using the NHS Profile Manager.
NHS Terms of Service, set out that pharmacy owners are required to:
- Ensure their DoS profile is accurate and comprehensive
- Review and update the profile at least once per NHS financial quarter
The quarterly periods are:
- 1 April – 30 June
- 1 July – 30 September
- 1 October – 31 December
- 1 January – 31 March
Each update creates a record in NHS Profile Manager, which NHS England uses for contract management.
Using NHS Profile Manager
To access NHS Profile Manager, pharmacy owners must log in using their personal NHSmail account for security verification.
Pharmacies may have multiple profiles on DoS depending on their location and services offered. For example, CPCS services may be listed under different names:
| DoS Service Name | Description |
| Pharm+ | Standard pharmacy services + urgent medicine supply |
| CPCS | Minor illness (24+ hour referral window) |
| CPCS+ | Minor illness (12-hour referral window) |
| CPCS++ | Minor illness (6-hour referral window) |
Once logged in, search by ODS code or postcode to check all service profiles.
After submitting updates, you’ll receive a confirmation email (usually within minutes — allow up to 2 hours). If not received, check your junk folder first. If needed, email the NHS website helpdesk with the subject line: ‘NHS Profile Manager usage’.
Keep these emails as evidence of compliance with NHS Terms of Service.
Updates made in NHS Profile Manager will appear in DoS within ~10 minutes. However, they won’t show in NHS Profile Manager until the next day due to overnight syncing.
If NHS England or DoS leads have questions, they’ll contact the pharmacy. If no issues arise, no follow-up is needed.
For technical issues, email: ssd.nationalservicedesk@nhs.net
Enhancements
NHS England continues to improve NHS Profile Manager based on feedback from Community Pharmacy England, pharmacy owners, and others.
To suggest enhancements, email: it@cpe.org.uk
Read more on Community Pharmacy England’s NHS Profile Manager webpage
Distance Selling Pharmacies (DSPs)
DSPs needing changes not yet supported by NHS Profile Manager should contact their local DoS lead. See the ‘DoS oversight’ section below for contact details.
Visit the DSP section of Keeping pharmacy profile information up-to-date
Pharmacy opening hours listed in DoS must match those agreed with NHS England — including core and supplementary hours.
If your pharmacy’s hours change (temporarily or permanently), update your DoS profile to avoid inappropriate referrals.
- Closures over 5 days: Update hours via NHS Profile Manager
- Closures under 5 days: Consider using the DoS Capacity Status Tool if you have access to it, to set your RAG status to RED (ask your local DoS lead if they are ok to share login credentials, but local DoS team policies on local use of this may vary). If you do not or will not have access, use NHS Profile Manager instead
- Urgent changes: Call the DoS emergency change line: 0300 0200 363 or contact your local DoS lead
Bank Holiday hours (including Christmas Day, Good Friday, and Easter Sunday) must be listed in DoS and match your NHS website profile.
Note: Changes made in NHS Profile Manager will also update your NHS website profile.
NHS Service Finder is a free online tool that pulls data from DoS and the NHS website. It helps pharmacy teams and other healthcare professionals quickly locate and refer patients to appropriate services.
Key features:
- Fast search for service info and referral options
- Access to non-public contact details and eligibility criteria
- Maps, directions, and email-to-patient functionality
NHS England National DoS Team
This team sets policy for DoS and its related tools.
NHS England Transformation Directorate
Manages the IT side of DoS, including NHS Profile Manager and NHS Service Finder.
Local DoS Teams
Local teams maintain regional DoS data.
Pharmacy teams and LPC members can access local contact details via NHS Service Finder (login required):
List of local DoS team contact info
Note: NHS Profile Manager currently doesn’t allow email address corrections. However, most DoS updates can be made without contacting your local team directly.
In some cases, LPCs may liaise with local DoS teams on pharmacy-related queries.
If you have queries on this webpage or you require more information please contact it@cpe.org.uk.
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For more information on this topic please email it@cpe.org.uk
