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NHS organisations in England (ODS register)

query_nhs_ods
Read-onlyIdempotent

Every GP practice, NHS trust and trust site, pharmacy, dental practice and independent-sector healthcare provider on the NHS Organisation Data Service register for England — ODS code, name, organisation type, active/closed status, NHS England region and integrated care board codes, address and postcode, open and close dates, parent organisation (commissioner or trust) and, for GP practices, the prescribing setting. From the official nightly ODS extracts, keyed by the stable ODS code. Telephone numbers are dropped at ingest; the practitioner files (named GPs and dentists) are never ingested. Filters combine with AND; q searches all text fields. Costs 1 credit(s) per call with an API key; without one, a preview of up to 5 rows (20 calls/day).

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
qNo
nameNo
pageNo
townNo
statusNo
ods_codeNo
org_typeNo
per_pageNo
postcodeNo
parent_codeNo
outward_codeNo
open_date_afterNo
close_date_afterNo
health_geographyNo
open_date_beforeNo
close_date_beforeNo
national_groupingNo
prescribing_settingNo

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed1 schema field changed
    • changedInput schema / $schema
      Previous value: -"http://json-schema.org/draft-07/schema#"New value: +"https://json-schema.org/draft/2020-12/schema"
  2. Added

TDQS

A3.9/5.0
Behavior5/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

The description adds substantial context beyond annotations: official nightly extracts, stable ODS code keying, dropped telephone numbers, excluded practitioner files, AND-combined filters, full-text q behavior, cost per call, and preview limits. These details materially help an agent understand data provenance and access constraints.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness4/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description front-loads the data scope and is dense but mostly purposeful. The opening sentence is very long and could be split, but the subsequent sentences add concrete constraints rather than filler.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness3/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For an 18-parameter tool with no output schema, the description covers data scope, provenance, exclusions, cost, and preview limits well. However, it leaves many filter parameters undefined, which is a notable gap for an agent trying to construct precise queries.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters2/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 0% across 18 parameters, so the description must carry the burden. It explains q and AND-combination behavior but does not define most filter parameters, such as org_type values, status values, health_geography, national_grouping, outward_code, or date-bound semantics.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description names the exact resource (NHS Organisation Data Service register for England) and enumerates the organisation types and fields covered. It clearly distinguishes this tool from sibling query_uk_* tools by domain and data source.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines3/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Usage is implied through the filter behavior ('Filters combine with AND; q searches all text fields') and the credit/preview limits, but there is no explicit guidance on when to use this tool versus related siblings such as query_uk_care_locations. An agent can infer context but is not told exclusions or alternatives.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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