Southend Hospital patients must now take their NHS number with them for appointments to allow staff to check their identity.

The hospital will in future be using the NHS unique ten-digit number to check the identity of each person they treat in order to “ensure patient safety”.

John Gilham, chief executive of the hospital, said: “Using the NHS number to identify each patient correctly is an important way of ensuring their safe treatment.

“By presenting the number when they come into hospital, patients will help staff find their records more easily and share them safely with others involved in their care.

“Patients can find the number on their medical card and should make a note of it.”

Some older medical cards may have an old NHS number which is not in the ten-digit format. NHS South East Essex has advised anyone with one of these cards to contact their offices or their GP to find out their new one. The number will also be included on documents and correspondence used by NHS organisations.

Babies born at Southend Hospital will be allocated an NHS number and this will be used by the GP to register the birth.

Mr Gilham added: “The whole point of using the NHS number nationwide is to help ensure health services are delivered safely, efficiently and accurately.

“Anyone coming into Southend Hospital needing urgent treatment need not worry – we will find their NHS number to support their treatment.”