National Health Service Central Register (NHSCR)

Its main purpose is to permit the efficient movement of patient's medical record envelopes when they:

transfer between Scottish Health Boards and health authorities in the rest of the UK;
leave the country;
join the Armed Forces (or are dependants of Armed Forces personnel).

issue NHS Numbers;
trace people resident in the UK who have lost contact with their families;
help medical researchers who have had their studies approved by a Privacy Advisory Committee;
provide to Scottish local authorities a unique reference number which is used to identify people on the database of local authority customers;
help measure migration within the UK, and between different parts of Scotland.