Medical information
A pendant can tell a paramedic important things about your health, and an NHS number on it can help them look up your medical record. This page explains what it can and can’t do, so you know exactly what you’re buying.
The short version
- We make jewellery. We are not a medical provider, and we are not part of, or endorsed by, the NHS.
- A pendant is not a medical device. It doesn’t replace calling 999, carrying your medicines, your care plan, or advice from your doctor.
- The front of every pendant carries a caduceus, a medical symbol that paramedics and other responders recognise. Your details are on the back.
- We can’t promise that anyone will see your pendant, or that they’ll be able to look up your record.
- An NHS number is optional, but we recommend it. It links to your Summary Care Record, which your GP practice keeps. We never see it.
- Keep your GP record up to date. That’s what a paramedic would see, not anything we hold.
1. Who we are, and who we’re not
Medi Wear Limited designs and sells jewellery engraved with information you choose, such as a condition, an allergy, an emergency contact or your NHS number.
- We are not a medical provider. We don’t give medical advice.
- We are an independent company. We are not part of the NHS, and the NHS doesn’t endorse us.
- We don’t store medical records. There’s no account, no database of your health information and no subscription.
2. What a pendant can’t do
A MediWear pendant is jewellery that carries information. It is not a medical device. It does not replace:
- calling 999 in an emergency
- carrying any medicines you’ve been told to keep with you
- your care plan
- advice from your doctor, nurse or pharmacist
We can’t guarantee that a paramedic, doctor or anyone else will notice your pendant, read it, or be able to look up your record. Whether they can depends on the situation, on NHS computer systems, and on the clinician treating you.
3. Your NHS number and your record
Adding your NHS number to your engraving is optional, but we recommend it. It can help a paramedic find out much more about your health than fits on the back.
In England, your NHS number links to your Summary Care Record. This is a summary of your GP record that health professionals, such as ambulance crews and hospital staff, can look at when they’re treating you.
Your Summary Care Record includes:
- the medicines you take
- any allergies you have
- any bad reactions you’ve had to medicines
It may also include more, such as long-term conditions. What’s on it depends on your GP practice. If you’d like to know what’s on yours, ask your GP practice.
Access to your record depends on NHS systems and on the clinician treating you. MediWear never sees your record and has no way to access it.
Finding your NHS number
Your NHS number is a 10-digit number. You can find it in the NHS App, on letters from your GP or hospital, and on repeat prescriptions. The NHS website explains how to find your NHS number.
4. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland
The Summary Care Record is used in England. Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland each have their own health records systems, and different rules about who can see what.
- Scotland: your health ID number is your CHI number.
- Wales: your health ID number is your NHS number.
- Northern Ireland: your health ID number is your Health and Care number.
When you personalise your pendant, you can choose an NHS number, CHI number or H&C number line, to match where you live.
Your GP practice can tell you what information is shared with emergency services where you live.
5. Keeping your record up to date
A paramedic who looks up your number will see what your GP practice has recorded, not anything we hold. If your medicines change, or you find out about a new allergy, check that your GP practice has updated your record.
If you’d like, we can send you an email every three months reminding you to check. You can choose this at checkout and stop it at any time.
We only engrave what you give us. We don’t add, check or update medical information.
6. What you choose to engrave
You choose what goes on the back of your pendant. You can have up to 4 lines. Each line can be a name, condition, allergy, medication, emergency contact (ICE), date of birth, NHS number, CHI number or H&C number, or your own words with no label. You need at least one line, but you don’t have to include your name. Put whatever would help someone look after you.
Our engraving guide suggests what to engrave and how to fit it in, such as common abbreviations. This is general guidance only. It isn’t medical advice.
If you have a serious allergy or condition, you may want to ask your doctor or pharmacist what would be most useful to engrave.
If an NHS, CHI or H&C number looks mistyped, we’ll warn you before you order. The warning can only spot some mistakes, so it can’t tell you that a number is right.
Someone on our team reads every engraving before it’s made, and we’ll contact you if something looks wrong. But we can’t check that medical details are correct or complete, or that a number belongs to the wearer. Please check your proof carefully before you order.
7. Information on this website
The information on this website is general. It’s not medical advice, and it’s not a substitute for talking to a health professional.
It was correct when we wrote it, but NHS services and systems change. The date at the top of this page shows when we last checked it.
8. In an emergency
If you or someone else is seriously ill or injured, call 999 straight away.
If you find someone unwell who is wearing a pendant with a medical symbol on it, such as the caduceus on the front of ours, tell the call handler they’re wearing a medical ID. Turn the pendant over and read out the details on the back. What the front of a MediWear pendant looks like.
For any other medical questions, speak to your GP practice or pharmacist.