Search and edit user records

Search and edit user records

All users are required to login to SOAR via the Turas platform, irrespective of the user role you have.

Users can create a Turas account themselves using either their work or home email address (their choice), but you (nor the SOAR team) cannot assist with this.  If they encounter difficulties with Turas login, users are required to contact the Turas helpdesk for assistance, which they can do so by visiting the Turas platform and clicking on the green helpdesk buttons from there.

Once their Turas account is created they will need to link it to SOAR - this is where you (as admins) come in.

You will be contacted either by email or via the SOAR Login Request form for help with accessing SOAR.  When a login request form has been submitted by the user, you (as health board admin) will receive an email confirmation and you would either reset the requester's password or create a new user account after you have completed local verification checks, which might involve:

• Checking with HR to see if the user works for your health board
  • If primary care: is the GP on the performers list?
  • If secondary care: is consultant on the HR system?
• User doesn't work for you? Send it to SOAR@nes.scot.nhs.uk for redirect

If the user is an employee of your health board and therefore should be on SOAR - proceed to search and amend their login details as necessary.

Searching for a user on SOAR

• Click on "User Search" from the menu
  • Search GMC number, email and spelling of surname
• If record found, click on the name to go into the user profile to amend details
• If not found at first, check the following:
  • GMC number - double check on the GMC register that the GMC number you have is correct
  • Special considerations will need to be given to those who do not have a GMC number (see below)
  • Double check the surname is spelt correctly
  • Double check the email address used (it's not unusual for typos)

Considerations for those without a GMC number:

There are non-doctors who uses SOAR for their appraisals, for example dentists, public health etc.  Those without a GMC number will need to have a "dummy" GMC number entered before a record can be created.  Typically we ask that these users have letters prefixed before numbers for easy identification in searches, but sometimes depending on the admin person, there might be spaces in between (we suggest no spaces).

For dentists, we normally recommend this format:  GDC12345 (the number part will be their GDC number)

If the person you are searching for is a dentist, search just the GDC number.  We've had instances of duplicate accounts created with examples like "GDC123" and "GDC 123".

For admins, we normally recommend prefixing with their initials and then adding the numbers, e.g. WL12345

For public health doctors who do not have a GMC number, we ask that you check in with the SOAR team in the first instance to cross check what's on Turas.  SOAR imports trainer/trainee records from Turas and if the public health doctor was a trainer, the mismatching of the GMC reference field will cause the import to fail, and they won't be able to complete the required Recognition of Trainer form as part of their annual appraisal.

If after the exhaustive user search and you are still unable to locate the user record on SOAR, they probably don't have a user record on SOAR, in which case you will need to create a new account for them.

If you have found the user on SOAR, you can update their details.

The reason we advise the due diligence in cross checking user details is to avoid accidental duplicate accounts creation.  We have had this before and it is not straightforward to merge accounts especially if appraisals have been created/completed (fully or partially) in both.  We also had issues with similarly named users being given access to the wrong person's account.

Please check to ensure there's no existing account before creating a new user on SOAR.  If in doubt, contact the SOAR helpdesk for assistance.

Updating user details

If record found, click on the name to go into the user profile to amend details:

• Check 'last updated' date at bottom of login sections (in case already actioned by another colleague, it's not uncommon for users to contact multiple teams to get logged in)
• If ok to proceed:
  • Assign a dummy password (must be at least 8 characters long, mix of upper and lowercase, includes at least one number and one symbol), and enter it again in the Confirm Password box; or
  • Use the Reset button at bottom of the page to wipe password and security questions
• The system will send automated email to user confirming their login details
• Whatever password you give them will be temporary - once the user has linked their SOAR and Turas accounts, they will never need their SOAR login details, only Turas.

This page was last updated on: 26/03/2026