NHS Smartcards: important checks to keep systems working
Pharmacy teams rely on NHS Smartcards to access essential NHS systems.
NHS England and Community Pharmacy England are re-asking all pharmacy staff who use Smartcards to carry out a few simple checks now — to avoid disruption later.
Some older Smartcards will stop working from 7th May 2026, and others may stop working if contact details or roles are out of date.
What pharmacy teams need to do
Everyone who uses an NHS Smartcard should check the points below.
1. Check your contact details (important)
Make sure your email address and phone number are recorded on your Smartcard (Care Identity Management) profile.
You can find step-by-step guidance in the Maintaining your NHS Smartcard factsheet.
Having up-to-date contact details means:
- NHS England or your local Registration Authority can contact you before a card or role expires
- You can use mobile phone self-unlock if your card becomes locked
2. Set up mobile phone self-unlock (strongly recommended)
If you enter your Smartcard PIN incorrectly three times, the card locks.
You can unlock a locked Smartcard using your mobile phone, without contacting the Registration Authority — but only if you register in advance.
Read more: Self-service Smartcard unlocking
3. Check expiry dates on your Smartcard roles (important for multi-site working)
Some pharmacy staff have Smartcard roles (sometimes called “positions”) that are approaching expiry.
If a role expires, this can affect:
- Access to NHS systems
- Ability to work across more than one pharmacy site
If a role is close to expiry and still needed, contact your local Registration Authority to have it extended or updated.
4. Check whether your Smartcard needs replacing (urgent for some card users)
Some older Smartcards are being retired by NHS England.
If the long number on the bottom right of your card starts with 04, 05 or 06, it must be replaced.
These cards have passed end of life, and previous communications had advised action. They are expected to stop working from 7th May 2026.
Read more: Older Smartcards reaching end of life briefing
What pharmacy owners and managers should consider
- Remind staff to check their Smartcards
- Encourage early replacement of older cards
- Reduce the risk of avoidable access problems disrupting services
Further information and future direction
- Maintaining your NHS Smartcard – Community Pharmacy England
- Find your local Registration Authority – NHS England
In the longer term, the NHS Care Identity Service 2 (CIS2) programme may reduce reliance on physical Smartcards by enabling alternative sign-in methods. Community Pharmacy England continues to press for improvements that make access easier and more resilient for pharmacy teams.
