<P> The modern style of NHS number was generally introduced in 1996, although they were allocated to every new - born baby since July 1995, before becoming mandatory on 1 April 1997 . </P> <P> It replaced the previous system founded on wartime identity card numbers, which in England and Wales used letters and digits (e.g. JRDAN 269); Scotland used numbers based on households with individuals further identified within the household (e.g. STUV123: 3), and this meant that it was hard to validate a specific number . The numerical part of ID / NHS numbers allocated to persons born after the Second World War in England and Wales matched the birth register entry number (i.e. a person whose birth was entry number xy would have an ID / NHS number in the format LLLLxy). Between 1969 and July 1995, the old - style NHS number was used on a baby's birth certificate as the reference number for the certificate . </P> <P> The current system uses a ten - digit number in' 3 3 4' format with the final digit being a check digit . Examples given include 987 654 4321 . The format includes an error - detecting checksum, which is the role of the final digit . Ignoring the check digit, each of the first nine digits is multiplied by 11 minus its position . Using the number 943 476 5919 as an example: </P> <Ul> <Li> The first digit is 9 . This is multiplied by 10 . </Li> <Li> The second digit is 4 . This is multiplied by 9 . </Li> <Li> And so on until the ninth digit (1) is multiplied by 2 . </Li> <Li> The result of this calculation is summed . In this example: 9 * 10 + 4 * 9 + 3 * 8 + 4 * 7 + 7 * 6 + 6 * 5 + 5 * 4 + 9 * 3 + 1 * 2 = 299 . </Li> <Li> The remainder when dividing this number by 11 is calculated, yielding a number in the range 0--10, which would be 2 in this case . </Li> <Li> Finally, this number is subtracted from 11 to give the checksum in the range 1--11, in this case 9, which becomes the last digit of the NHS number . </Li> <Li> A checksum of 11 is represented by 0 in the final NHS number . If the checksum is 10 then the number is not valid . </Li> </Ul>

Is nhs number the same as national insurance