What is Scan4Safety?
Scan4Safety is a UK healthcare initiative designed to improve patient safety, reduce clinical errors, and enhance operational efficiency by using barcode scanning and data standards throughout the NHS.
It is based on a simple but powerful idea: by uniquely identifying patients, products, and places, and recording their interaction in real time, healthcare providers can achieve greater accuracy, traceability, and safety across the care pathway.
What are the main objectives of Scan4Safety?
Scan4Safety aims to deliver the following benefits across NHS trusts:
- Improved patient safety through accurate identification
- Operational efficiencies by reducing time spent on manual processes
- Cost savings from improved inventory management and reduced waste
- Better data for decision-making by capturing real-time, accurate information
How does GS1 UK support Scan4Safety?
GS1 UK plays a central role in enabling Scan4Safety by providing the global standards needed to:
- Uniquely identify people, products, and places
- Enable interoperability across NHS systems
- Ensure consistency in data collection and sharing
As a not-for-profit organisation, GS1 UK works with NHS trusts, suppliers, and system providers to implement these standards effectively and consistently across the healthcare system.
Which GS1 standards are used in Scan4Safety?
| GS1 Standard | Used to Identify | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Global Trade Item Number (GTIN) | Products (e.g. medical devices, medicines) | Ensures every product is uniquely identifiable. |
| Global Location Number (GLN) | Places (e.g. hospitals, wards, storage rooms) | Identifies exact locations within healthcare settings. |
| Global Service Relation Number (GSRN) | People (e.g. patients or healthcare providers) | Allows accurate patient identification and tracking. |
| Global Individual Asset Identifier (GIAI) | Assets (e.g. medical equipment and surgical instruments) | Enables asset management and tracking |
| GS1 barcodes (including GS1 DataMatrix) | Applied on products, locations and patient ID bands | Encodes the above identifiers for accurate scanning. |
What does Scan4Safety look like in practice?
Here’s a typical example of how Scan4Safety works in a hospital setting:
- A patient is admitted and given an identity band with a GS1 barcode encoding their GSRN and NHS number
- A nurse scans the wristband before administering medication
- The medication has a GS1 DataMatrix barcode encoding the GTIN and batch/expiry information which is scanned prior to administration
- Surgical team scans the barcode on a medical device (UDI / GTIN) and surgical instrumentation (GIAI) prior to use
- The location, such as a ward or theatre, is identified with a GLN barcode
- All scanned data is captured in real time and linked together in the patient’s electronic health record (EHR)
This ensures that the right patient receives the right treatment at the right time and place, with a full digital audit trail.
What are the benefits of using GS1 standards in Scan4Safety
Safer care: Prevents medication errors and supports recalls
Improved workflows: Scanning is quicker and more accurate than manual entry
Informed decisions: Captured data supports better clinical and procurement decisions
Inventory accuracy: Helps trusts track usage and avoid stockouts or overstocking
Regulatory compliance: Supports alignment with FMD, UDI, and DPP regulations
Is GS1 only used for products?
No, one of the key strengths of GS1 standards is that they are not limited to products.
They can also be used to identify:
- People (patients, staff)
- Places (departments, rooms, equipment locations)
- Assets (surgical instruments, infusion pumps, implants)
This holistic approach to identification is what makes Scan4Safety so powerful—it connects all parts of the healthcare system with consistent, global identifiers.
How widespread is Scan4Safety in the NHS?
Initially piloted in six NHS demonstrator sites, Scan4Safety has shown significant positive results, including:
- Millions in cost savings
- Measurable reductions in clinical incidents
- More time released for care
As a result, NHS England and NHS Supply Chain are encouraging broader adoption of Scan4Safety across trusts, supported by GS1 UK and partner organisations.
Is Scan4Safety an initiative rolled out across all four nations?
Yes, the Scan4Safety programme teams in England, Scotland, and Wales, along with colleagues in Northern Ireland, are all focused on improving patient safety through enhanced traceability of medical devices. The four nations are working in collaboration to ensure there is a consistency in approach.
What is GS1 UK doing to support adoption?
GS1 UK supports Scan4Safety implementation through:
- Training and guidance for trusts and suppliers
- Community building to share best practice across NHS organisations
- Technical support to ensure standards are embedded effectively
- Certification and assurance to validate data quality and readiness
Contact healthcare@gs1uk.org to get started on your Scan4Safety journey
Scan4Safety is transforming the NHS by embedding barcoding and digital tracking into everyday clinical workflows. GS1 UK enables this transformation by providing the global standards that make it possible to identify and connect people, products, and places safely and efficiently.
By standardising data capture and improving traceability, GS1 standards are not only enhancing patient safety, but also helping healthcare providers run more efficient, compliant, and cost-effective operations.