Prescription de-identification is the removal of personal identifiers from an electronic prescription. UK GDPR Art. 9 and DPA 2018 govern the record. anonym.plus runs offline and keeps the drug, dose, and directions that pharmacy work relies on.
When this applies
An e-script names the individual and the prescriber and carries an identifier and a pharmacy address. For prescribing-pattern studies, those tags must come off.
How anonym.plus handles it
- Open the script in anonym.plus on your device.
- It finds patient, doctor, and pharmacy identifiers.
- Drug name, dose, and directions stay in place.
- Swap each identifier for a clear label, or hide it.
- Save the clean script on your device.
What you need to provide
- The script (PDF, DOCX, or structured NHS export).
- An operator: Replace keeps the directions readable.
- Optional role map for [PATIENT] and [PRESCRIBER].
Patient data entity types detected
| Category | anonym.plus entity type | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Names | PERSON | patient name → [PATIENT] |
| Names | PERSON | Dr Haines → [PRESCRIBER] |
| Identifiers | ID | prescriber code → [PRESCRIBER_ID] |
| Dates | DATE_TIME | written 05 Jun → [DATE] |
| Location | LOCATION | pharmacy address → [PHARMACY] |
| Record IDs | MEDICAL_RECORD_NUMBER | NHS 552 108 9900 → [NHS_NUMBER] |
Compliance achieved
- Strips special-category health data under UK GDPR Art. 9 & DPA 2018.
- Runs fully offline — no cloud upload, no processor agreement needed.
- Working files are protected with AES-256-GCM encryption.
Anonymise digital prescriptions offline — see plans & start free →
Limitations & cautions
The prescriber identifier and NHS number must go. The drug, dose, and directions stay and are not treated as identifiers, but a rare drug at a small pharmacy can add to re-identification risk for the individual.
Frequently asked questions
Is the prescriber’s identifier removed?
Yes. A prescriber code is a direct identifier, so it is flagged and swapped. Provider names can go too for blinded studies.
Do the drug and dose stay?
Yes. The drug, dose, and directions remain, so prescribing analysis runs while personal identifiers are gone.
Does it read structured NHS prescribing files?
Yes. Structured NHS exports and printed PDFs both work locally.