Choosing the right way to sign up to Nexus
There are three ways into Nexus. If you're not sure, start with the free option — it costs nothing, needs no card details, and you can always join or start a paid organisation account later. All self-serve accounts require an NHS email address — @nhs.net or any nhs.uk address.
When you visit Nexus signed out, an "I am a…" selector offers the options:
1. Free NHS data access — the right start for most people
Any NHS staff member can register for the benchmarking dashboards (practice, PCN and ICB views, funding, data sources) completely free. This is not a trial — it doesn't expire and never asks for payment. You get value from Nexus immediately, and nothing about it commits your practice to anything.
→ See Free NHS data access, and What's free and what's paid? for exactly where the free tier ends.
2. Your practice already subscribes — join its account
If your practice already uses the paid platform, don't register a new organisation and don't pay anything — join the existing account instead, via an emailed invite from your practice admin or a self-serve request. You get access to everything the practice's packages include.
→ See Joining your organisation's existing account
3. Register your GP surgery — only for buying the paid platform
This route is for one authorised person per practice (typically the practice manager or a partner) who has decided the practice wants the paid platform — the build tools, monitoring and recall, workforce, FFT and more. It's a short wizard: your details, find your surgery by ODS code, choose a plan, then either a free 90-day trial (no card needed) or subscribe. Everyone else at the practice simply gets invited afterwards — they never go through this wizard.
If you pick a practice that is already on Nexus, the wizard automatically converts to a join request (route 2) — you can't accidentally buy a second subscription.
→ See Signing your organisation up
Patients
Patients don't need an account at all: the public Find a GP page lets anyone compare local practices using published NHS data.
Which one do I want?
| Your situation | Sign up via |
|---|---|
| I want to benchmark my practice / PCN / ICB | Free NHS data access — no payment, ever |
| My practice already uses Nexus | Join its account — no payment, ask your admin |
| I'm authorised to buy the paid platform for my practice | Register your GP surgery — trial or subscribe |
| I'm a patient | Find a GP — no account needed |