Guidance

How to register for and use Sam

Published 27 February 2025

1. Set up a Government Gateway account

The Government Gateway is the service you use to sign in to online government services. It allows you to communicate and make transactions with a range of government services using one secure login.

1.1 Organisations

You will need the ‘known facts’ letter (form number AH046) sent by the OV Team, before you start to register and enrol. If you have not received your ‘known facts’ letter, contact the helpdesk on 0330 0416 999.

You can register with the Government Gateway as an organisation or an agent. Your OV Practice will be your organisation. Individuals who work for the practice (OVs, ATTs and OV Practice Admin) will need to be registered as agents of the organisation.

1. Go to Submit tuberculosis (TB) test results using Sam.
2. Select enrol on Sam as an organisation using the AHVLA-ORC service.
3. Select Create sign in details.
4. Enter a valid email address and confirm in the box this is correct, then click Continue.
5. You will be sent a code to this email address which you should enter as shown below; click Confirm.
6. Create a password for Government Gateway.

You will now be prompted to enrol as you have just registered onto the Government Gateway:

1. Select Next.
2. Enter your enrolment information, which can be found on your ‘known facts’ letter from the OV Team (form number AH046) - the ‘Role’ and ‘Application ID’ must be entered in capitals.
3. Select Next.

‘Reference Name’ is optional but can be used to help identify this log in, in case you use more than one.

You are now presented with the landing page. You have now successfully enrolled your organisation for Sam. Next your agents will need to register on the Government Gateway and enrol for Sam.

1.2 Agents

You will need the ‘known facts’ letter (form number AH046) sent by the OV Team, before you start to register and enrol.

Go to Submit tuberculosis (TB) test results using Sam.

1. Select enrol on Sam as an agent using the AHVLA-AGT service.
2. Select Create sign in details.
3. Enter a valid email address and confirm in the box this is correct, select Continue.
4. Enter the code sent by email, click Confirm.
5. You will be shown a confirmation screen and click Continue.
6. Enter your full name and click Continue.
7. You will now be asked to create a password for Government Gateway - confirm it and click Continue.
8. You will now be prompted to enrol as you have just registered onto the Government Gateway. Select Next.

You will be asked to create your ‘Agent Name’ and the first part of your Government Gateway Agent ID. Both will be visible to others, and should be easily identifiable as you, for example an initial and surname.

The second part of the Agent ID is automatically generated and will be provided at the end of the enrolment process.

You will now need to enter the ‘known facts’ that were sent in a letter to you by the OV Team (form number AH046).

All roles must be entered in capital letters, for example:

• OFFICIAL VETERINARIAN
• APPROVED TUBERCULIN TESTR (ATTs will need to remove the second ‘e’ from ‘Tester’)
• OV PRACTICE ADMIN

Your new Government Gateway Agent ID is now shown. You have the option to print this page.

This will be your Agent ID on the Government Gateway. You will need to give your Agent ID to the administrator of your OV practice (organisation) account.

You will not be able to access Sam as an agent until a link has been established between you and your current practice using your Agent ID.

2. Linking an agent to an organisation

Once the practice staff (OVs, ATTs and OV admin) have registered and enrolled as agents on the Government Gateway, a link will need to be established between the organisation (your practice) and the agents (users who carry out work on behalf of the practice).

To do this, an administrator for the practice will need to go to GOV.UK and:

1. Click the Sign in to Sam button and select Logon and manage my account.
2. Enter your existing Government Gateway user ID and password - this should be the login details for the practice (organisation).
3. Select Manage My Services and then Next.

To add or remove an OV, ATT or OV practice admin:

1. Click on Manage My Agents. This shows all Agents currently linked to your organisation.
2. Select Appoint an Agent. You will need to enter the individuals’ Agent ID.
3. Confirm that you have read and accept the Terms and Conditions by ticking the check box and select I Agree.
4. Click on Sam to return to ‘Sam: enrol or sign in to submit tuberculosis (TB) test results’.

You have the option to view your email and name in ‘Access my Government Gateway User Profile.’ Do not opt to set a two-factor authentication (2FA) as we do not support this function of Government Gateway. Users who set this up will need to de-enrol and re-enrol.

The new agent will now need to accept the link to the practice, before they will be able to log into Sam. To do this, the new agent will need to use the ‘Sign in to Sam’ option:

1. Select Logon and manage my account.
2. Select Manage Users and Assistants and select Next.
3. Click on your name on the left-hand side of the screen, to reveal the ‘User Details’ and ‘Allocated Clients’ information.
4. Click on the tick box next to the practice details in ‘Allocated Clients’ box to accept the link to the practice.
5. Select Return to: Application Home.
6. Select Sam to return to Sam: enrol or sign in to submit tuberculosis (TB) test results.

It is important that the new agent now logs into Sam. This will complete their enrolment to the practice, so that the agent’s name will appear on the dropdown list for work allocation.

To do this, click on the ’Sign in to Sam’ button an select ‘Logon…to the application’. This will take you into the practice workbasket in Sam.

Clicking on ‘Log Off’ in the top right-hand corner of the practice work basket screen gives confirmation and closes the browser to complete sign out process.

3. How to find your Agent ID

1. Log in and select Manage My Account.
2. Select View My Details and click Next.

Your Agent ID is displayed beneath your email details.

If you are unable to view this or have forgotten your log in details, contact APHA.

4. Contact APHA

If you have a problem while using Sam that is not covered by the Official Veterinarian practice guide, contact APHA by:

• email APHAservicedesk@apha.gov.uk
• phone 0330 0416 999

If you email, include the following details:

• the date and time the problem happened
• what the problem is
• the page you were using when the problem happened
• your name and phone number
• CPH of the Customer whose record you were accessing at the time of the problem