ALISS

Introduction to ALISS🔗︎ click to copy

Mydex Data Services CIC provides an API known as the 'Master Reference Data Services' or MRD. This API provides access to a variety of non-personal, general purpose datasets that may be of use when integrating with the rest of the Mydex platform.

One of these services or datasets is the ALISS (A Local Information System for Scotland), which itself is also offered to the public (see https://www.aliss.org) . ALISS is a service designed to help citizens find help and support close to you when you need it most. ALISS is maintained and published by the Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland (the ALLIANCE) and is funded by the Scottish Government.

Mydex consumes the ALISS API from the upstream source.

The upstream ALISS API lists all individual services. Within each service record there may exist a set of 'location', 'organisation' and 'category' data (thereby, each service record holds duplicate information for these subsets of data).

Mydex's MRD API adds mapping tables that split out locations, service areas, organisations and categories into separate tables. This allows more complex joining of services to those other attributes, or the ability to search by location, category or service area to find services (rather than having to search for the services first). Mydex's API also allows more complex filtering and combinations in the search, along with sorting options.

To find out how to authenticate to the MRD to access this service, please visit the MRD Authentication instructions.

This guide explains:

• How to construct different search requests to Mydex's MRD API to obtain different types of results from the ALISS dataset.

If you encounter issues either getting authenticated to or using the MRD API, please contact support@mydex.org . Our team is ready and always happy to help you with any issues.

Getting ALISS data🔗︎ click to copy

There are two types of request that can be made: Generic search and requesting services by their id. The basic routes for those requests are as follows:

• Search: aliss/get-services/search
• Get by id: aliss/get-services/{service-ids}

Using the search route 🔗︎ click to copy

Please Note: Mydex also offers a Cross-Service search capability for unified search results across the different MRD services you are subscribed to. Click here to find out more.

A call to the base route aliss/get-services/search will return unfiltered services (note: default parameters are applied as detailed below).

Results can be filtered by specifying which filters to apply in the filters query parameter.

A request result can be further organised through ordering and pagination.

            https://api-mrd.mydex.org/aliss/get-services/search
            ?filters[service_areas][0][field]=name
            &filters[service_areas][0][operator]==
            &filters[service_areas][0][value]=Dumfries and Galloway
            &filters[service_areas][0][condition]=OR
            &filters[locations][0][field]=postal_code
            &filters[locations][0][operator]=LIKE
            &filters[locations][0][value]=EH3
            &filters[locations][0][condition]=AND
            &filters[locations][1][field]=postal_code
            &filters[locations][1][operator]=LIKE
            &filters[locations][1][value]=EH9
        

Using the service-ids route 🔗︎ click to copy

Where you know the id of the specific service/s you want to return, it is possible to make a request in the format:

aliss/get-services/{service-ids}

Where service-ids is a list of one or more service ids delineated by a comma “,”. For example, we can pass 3 service-ids like so:

aliss/get-services/2d29f1ab-d617-45d7-83b5-b755dd6658a4,25525a5e-a405-4ddb-bf50-3a32fe005151,259ea6be-6861-4e45-82ee-5a3ff6eeb6a1

Adding query parameters🔗︎ click to copy

Request results can be organised by adding the following query parameters in any combination:

Example responses

See below response examples, showing only the first service returned (as data can be quite long to insert the full example). This will provide an idea of the structure of the data in the response.

Example Response JSON🔗︎ click to copy

    [
        {
        "id": "040e47b5-0d9f-4883-8c29-c271ad3f80b7",
        "name": "Branching Out Argyll",
        "description": "Branching Out Argyll runs innovative programmes of woodland based activities for people with poor mental health. \r\nWith Argyll and the Isles being a large location and all the central areas of population being geographically far apart, loneliness can be a major risk of cognitive decline.\r\n\r\nBy getting people back to nature, Branching Out helps to tackle the problems people face with anxiety, depression and isolation. People overcome their problems together with support and teamwork out in the woods. Whether it’s cooking food on a camp fire, building a shelter, walking, tai-chi or mindfulness.",
        "url": "http://www.act-now.org.uk/en/what-we-do/233-branching-out",
        "email": "branchingout@act-now.org.uk",
        "slug": "branching-out-argyll-0",
        "last_updated": "2018-12-06T10:00:08.82",
        "phone": "01546 602755",
        "organisation": [
            "id": "c9d78550-77f8-496b-8a0e-6bd6b7f8475f",
            "name": "Argyll and the Isles Coast and Countryside Trust",
            "slug": "argyll-and-the-isles-coast-and-countryside-trust-0",
            "is_claimed": "0"
        ],
        "categories": [
            {
                "name": "Mental Health",
                "slug": "mental-health"
            },
            {
                "name": "Physical Activity",
                "slug": "physical-activity"
            },
            {
                "name": "Outdoor Pursuits",
                "slug": "outdoor-pursuits"
            },
            {
                "name": "Conditions",
                "slug": "conditions"
            },
            {
                "name": "Health & Social Care Services",
                "slug": "health-social-care-services"
            },
            {
                "name": "Support Network",
                "slug": "support-network"
            },
            {
                "name": "Activity",
                "slug": "activity"
            }
        ],
        "service_areas": [
            {
                "code": "S12000035",
                "name": "Argyll and Bute",
                "type": "Local Authority"
            }
        ],
        "locations": [
            {
                "formatted_address": "1 Kilmory Industrial Estate, Lochgilphead, PA31 8RR",
                "name": "",
                "description": null,
                "street_address": "1 Kilmory Industrial Estate",
                "locality": "Lochgilphead",
                "region": null,
                "state": null,
                "postal_code": "PA31 8RR",
                "country": "GB",
                "latitude": "56.0267332",
                "longitude": "-5.4256996",
                "id": "d9286637-4b6b-4eca-99d1-77deb25f2973"
            }
        ]
        }
    ]

Example Response XML🔗︎ click to copy

Adding &format=xml to the above example API request, will see the data returned as XML:

    <?xml version="1.0"?>
    <Services>
        <Service>
            <id>040e47b5-0d9f-4883-8c29-c271ad3f80b7</id>
            <name>Branching Out Argyll</name>
            <description>Branching Out Argyll runs innovative programmes of woodland based activities for people with poor mental health. &#xD;
            With Argyll and the Isles being a large location and all the central areas of population being
            geographically far apart, loneliness can be a major risk of cognitive decline.&#xD;
            By getting people back to nature, Branching Out helps to tackle the problems people face with anxiety,
            depression and isolation. People overcome their problems together with support and teamwork out in the
            woods. Whether it&#x2019;s cooking food on a camp fire, building a shelter, walking, tai-chi or mindfulness.
            </description>
            <url>http://www.act-now.org.uk/en/what-we-do/233-branching-out</url>
            <email>branchingout@act-now.org.uk</email>
            <slug>branching-out-argyll-0</slug>
            <last_updated>2018-12-06T10:00:08.82</last_updated>
            <phone>01546 602755</phone>
            <organisation>
                <id>c9d78550-77f8-496b-8a0e-6bd6b7f8475f</id>
                <name>Argyll and the Isles Coast and Countryside Trust</name>
                <slug>argyll-and-the-isles-coast-and-countryside-trust-0</slug>
                <is_claimed>0</is_claimed>
            </organisation>
            <categories>
                <name>Mental Health</name>
                <slug>mental-health</slug>
                <name>Physical Activity</name>
                <slug>physical-activity</slug>
                <name>Outdoor Pursuits</name>
                <slug>outdoor-pursuits</slug>
                <name>Conditions</name>
                <slug>conditions</slug>
                <name>Health &amp; Social Care Services</name>
                <slug>health-social-care-services</slug>
                <name>Support Network</name>
                <slug>support-network</slug>
                <name>Activity</name>
                <slug>activity</slug>
            </categories>
            <service_areas>
                <node>
                    <code>S12000035</code>
                    <name>Argyll and Bute</name>
                    <type>Local Authority</type>
                </node>
            </service_areas>
            <locations>
                <node>
                    <formatted_address>1 Kilmory Industrial Estate, Lochgilphead, PA31 8RR</formatted_address>
                    <name/>
                    <description/>
                    <street_address>1 Kilmory Industrial Estate</street_address>
                    <locality>Lochgilphead</locality>
                    <region/>
                    <state/>
                    <postal_code>PA31 8RR</postal_code>
                    <country>GB</country>
                    <latitude>56.0267332</latitude>
                    <longitude>-5.4256996</longitude>
                    <id>d9286637-4b6b-4eca-99d1-77deb25f2973</id>
                </node>
            </locations>
            <organisation>
                <id>c9d78550-77f8-496b-8a0e-6bd6b7f8475f</id>
                <name>Argyll and the Isles Coast and Countryside Trust</name>
                <slug>argyll-and-the-isles-coast-and-countryside-trust-0</slug>
                <is_claimed>0</is_claimed>
            </organisation>
            </Service>
            <Service>
                <id>c13d575e-a929-4e06-bdcf-1bbbe67042aa</id>
                <name>Buddy dog</name>
                <description>Our bud………..
                &#xD;
                By getting people back to nature, Branching Out helps to tackle the problems people face with anxiety,
                depression and isolation. People overcome their problems together with support and teamwork out in the
                woods. Whether it&#x2019;s cooking food on a camp fire, building a shelter, walking, tai-chi or mindfulness.
            </description>
            <url>http://www.act-now.org.uk/en/what-we-do/233-branching-out</url>
            <email>branchingout@act-now.org.uk</email>
            <slug>branching-out-argyll-0</slug>
            <last_updated>2018-12-06T10:00:08.82</last_updated>
            <phone>01546 602755</phone>
            <categories>
                <name>Mental Health</name>
                <slug>mental-health</slug>
                <name>Physical Activity</name>
                <slug>physical-activity</slug>
                <name>Outdoor Pursuits</name>
                <slug>outdoor-pursuits</slug>
                <name>Conditions</name>
                <slug>conditions</slug>
                <name>Health &amp; Social Care Services</name>
                <slug>health-social-care-services</slug>
                <name>Support Network</name>
                <slug>support-network</slug>
                <name>Activity</name>
                <slug>activity</slug>
            </categories>
            <service_areas>
                <node>
                    <code>S12000035</code>
                    <name>Argyll and Bute</name>
                    <type>Local Authority</type>
                </node>
            </service_areas>
            <locations>
                <node>
                    <formatted_address>1 Kilmory Industrial Estate, Lochgilphead, PA31 8RR</formatted_address>
                    <name/>
                    <description/>
                    <street_address>1 Kilmory Industrial Estate</street_address>
                    <locality>Lochgilphead</locality>
                    <region/>
                    <state/>
                    <postal_code>PA31 8RR</postal_code>
                    <country>GB</country>
                    <latitude>56.0267332</latitude>
                    <longitude>-5.4256996</longitude>
                    <id>d9286637-4b6b-4eca-99d1-77deb25f2973</id>
                </node>
            </locations>
        </Service>
        <Service>
            <id>c13d575e-a929-4e06-bdcf-1bbbe67042aa</id>
            <name>Buddy dog</name>
            <description>Our bud………..