Greater Manchester Primary Care Portal

The portal is a single place for primary care colleagues to find Greater Manchester updates, documents and information. It brings together material that was previously shared through different emails, newsletters and local routes. You can choose your locality, discipline and topics so the information you see is more relevant to your work.

Primary care provider colleagues told NHS Greater Manchester that they wanted one reliable place for updates. The portal aims to reduce duplicated or inconsistent messages and make information easier to find and share. It does not replace urgent operational communications where another route is more appropriate.

Go to the Primary Care Portal and complete the registration form. Use your NHS email address if you have one. You will be asked for your organisation’s Organisation Data Service (ODS) code, so it may help to find this before you start. You will also set up MFA.

During registration, you can select the locality, discipline and topics that are relevant to you. These choices help the portal create a more personalised homepage when you sign in. If you leave all the options blank or unticked, the portal will assume that you want to see everything and your homepage will not be personalised.

What you choose is entirely up to you. You can change your selections later by signing in and selecting your name at the top of the homepage

The NHS Greater Manchester Primary Care Team checks each registration before access is switched on. Using an NHS email address makes this check quicker. During busy periods, approval may take up to 48 hours.

If you register with a personal email address, such as Yahoo or Hotmail, the team will contact you to confirm where you work. You will receive an email when your portal account has been approved.

ODS stands for Organisation Data Service. It is the national system used to identify organisations that provide health and social care services. Each organisation has its own ODS code. The code is linked to basic information about the organisation, such as its name, type, address and contact details.

Who needs to provide an ODS code?

• New users: You will be asked for your organisation’s ODS code when you register.
• Existing users: When you sign in for the first time since the ODS code requirement was introduced in early September 2026, the portal will ask you to enter your organisation’s ODS code. You only need to enter it once. After you submit the code, you should not be asked for it again.

Why is NHS Greater Manchester asking for my organisation’s ODS code?

The code helps NHS Greater Manchester see which primary care organisations have portal users and which organisations may not yet be using the portal. This allows us to offer extra support where it is needed.

Sign in to the portal, select your name at the top of the homepage and open your account profile. You can then correct your organisation’s ODS code and save the change. If you cannot update it, contact the NHS Greater Manchester Primary Care Team using the support email address at the end of this guide.

If you do not know your organisation’s code, use the ODS Data Search and Export service. Search using your organisation’s name or location. Check that you have selected the correct organisation before entering the code in the portal.

This usually means your registration has not yet been approved. You cannot sign in until you receive the approval email. If more than 48 hours have passed, contact the NHS Greater Manchester Primary Care Team using the support email address at the end of this guide.

MFA is an extra security check. After entering your registered email address and password, you also enter a six-digit security code. The code is either sent to your registered email address or shown in an authenticator app. This helps confirm that it is really you signing in.

There are two parts to using MFA

1. Set up MFA once: When you register, choose how you want to receive your security codes – by email or through an authenticator app – and complete the short setup process.
2. Enter a code when you sign in: After setup, you do not need to set up MFA again each time. You simply enter a new six-digit security code whenever the portal asks you to sign in.

Choose how you receive your security codes

You can receive each security code by email or get it from an authenticator app such as Microsoft Authenticator or Google Authenticator. Choose whichever option is easiest for you. Email may be more suitable if you do not have a smartphone or tablet, or cannot install an authenticator app.

Part 1: Set up MFA once
You normally complete these steps when you first register. Once setup is complete, you should not need to repeat it unless you change your device or the NHS Greater Manchester Primary Care Team resets your MFA.

Option 1: Set up email codes
On the MFA setup screen, choose the email option. The portal will send a six-digit security code to your registered email address. Open the email, enter the code in the verification box and select Submit. This confirms that email MFA is set up.

Option 2: Set up an authenticator app

1. Sign in to the portal using your registered email address and password.
2. When asked to set up MFA, enter a short description, such as “GM Primary Care Portal”. This helps you recognise the account in your authenticator app.
3. Select Create New Secret Key. A secret key and QR code will appear.
4. Open your authenticator app and add a new account. In Google Authenticator, use the plus button. In Microsoft Authenticator, use the plus button, choose Other, then choose Scan QR code.
5. Scan the QR code shown on the portal screen using the authenticator app, not your phone’s ordinary camera.
6. The app will show a six-digit security code. Enter it in the Code verification box on the portal and select Submit.

Part 2: Enter a code when you sign in

After MFA is set up, you do not need to repeat the setup steps. Enter your registered email address and password, then enter a new six-digit security code using the method you chose:

• If you chose email: select the option to send a security code. Open the most recent email from the portal and enter the six-digit code. A new code is sent each time the portal asks you to sign in.
• If you chose an authenticator app: open the app, select the GM Primary Care Portal account and enter the six-digit security code currently shown. The code changes regularly, so always use the latest one.

MFA is currently required when you sign in each day. It is an important safeguard that supports NHS security standards, including the Data Security and Protection Toolkit.

Although the portal does not hold patient information and its content is not confidential or sensitive, only authorised primary care colleagues should be able to access it. The portal also holds users’ account details, such as registered email addresses and passwords. MFA adds an extra layer of protection if a password is lost, guessed or stolen. For example, someone who knew your password would still need your separate security code before they could sign in. This helps reduce the risk of unauthorised access or someone pretending to be another user.

We understand that entering a security code adds an extra step. NHS Greater Manchester is working with the portal developers to explore whether users can be asked for a code less often without reducing security.

For now, we recommend signing in to the portal each morning and leaving it open in the background during the working day. When you follow portal links later that day, you should not usually need to sign in or enter another security code. After you sign out, close your browser or your session ends, you will need to sign in and enter a new code the next time you use the portal.

The QR code must be scanned from inside your authenticator app. Open the app, add a new account and use its Scan QR code option.

If you receive your code by email, use the code in the most recent message. Older codes may no longer work. If the email has not arrived, check your junk or spam folder and then ask for a new code.

If you use an authenticator app, make sure you have selected the GM Primary Care Portal account and are entering the latest code shown. Codes change regularly, so use the new code if it changes while you are typing.

If your account gives you the option to receive a security code by email, choose this option to sign in. If you cannot use email MFA, contact gmhscp.primarycarecomms@nhs.net and ask for your MFA to be reset. Include your name, registered email address, organisation and a short description of the problem. Do not send your password or a security code.

MFA settings are managed separately from your other profile information. If your MFA needs to be reset or you cannot access your account, contact the NHS Greater Manchester Primary Care Team at gmhscp.primarycarecomms@nhs.net. Include your name, registered email address, organisation and a short description of the problem. Do not send your password or a security code.

Will I need a security code every time I open the portal?

You need a security code each time the portal asks you to sign in, but you do not need to set up MFA again. We recommend signing in each morning and leaving the portal open in the background during the working day. You should not usually need another code when you follow portal links later that day. You are likely to need a new code after signing out, closing your browser, using another device or returning on another day.

Should I share my security code?

No. Never share your password or security code, whether it arrives by email or appears in an authenticator app. Support colleagues will not ask for either.

Why are updates on a portal instead of only being emailed?

The portal gives primary care colleagues one reliable place to find the latest information. It reduces duplication and lets people see updates matched to their locality, discipline and interests.

How will I know when new information is added?

Registered users receive a weekly email summary based on their chosen preferences. While the portal is still being introduced across primary care, NHS Greater Manchester is also sending temporary daily update emails through existing distribution lists for general practice, pharmacy, optometry and dental colleagues.

How do I change my preferences?

Sign in, select your name at the top of the homepage and open your account profile. You can then update your locality, discipline and topics of interest. If your name is not shown, contact the NHS Greater Manchester Primary Care Team using the support email address below.

I am not receiving the weekly email summary. What should I do?

Check that your portal account has been approved and that your preferences are up to date. Look in your junk or spam folder. If the email summary is still missing, contact the NHS Greater Manchester Primary Care Team so they can check the portal’s communication log.

Can I share portal updates with my team?

Yes. You can share a portal link by email, Microsoft Teams or WhatsApp. Colleagues should register for their own account so they can open the link and receive information relevant to their role.

How can I tell whether an update needs action?

Check the update for any action, deadline and named audience. NHS Greater Manchester is reviewing how portal content is labelled so these points are easier to spot.