diff --git a/wis2-gdc-management/requirements-backend.txt b/wis2-gdc-management/requirements-backend.txt
index b2066d6..c1cfe6b 100644
--- a/wis2-gdc-management/requirements-backend.txt
+++ b/wis2-gdc-management/requirements-backend.txt
@@ -1,2 +1,2 @@
 elasticsearch
-owslib
+OWSLib
diff --git a/wis2-gdc-management/wis2_gdc/backend/base.py b/wis2-gdc-management/wis2_gdc/backend/base.py
index 22656e5..26631de 100644
--- a/wis2-gdc-management/wis2_gdc/backend/base.py
+++ b/wis2-gdc-management/wis2_gdc/backend/base.py
@@ -61,5 +61,17 @@ def save(self, record: dict) -> None:
 
         raise NotImplementedError()
 
+    @abstractmethod
+    def exists(self, identifier: str) -> bool:
+        """
+        Querying whether a record exists in a backend
+
+        :param identifier: `str` of record identifier
+
+        :returns: `bool` of whether record exists in backend
+        """
+
+        raise NotImplementedError()
+
     def __repr__(self):
         return '<BaseBackend>'
diff --git a/wis2-gdc-management/wis2_gdc/backend/elastic.py b/wis2-gdc-management/wis2_gdc/backend/elastic.py
index 0455270..6785a2e 100644
--- a/wis2-gdc-management/wis2_gdc/backend/elastic.py
+++ b/wis2-gdc-management/wis2_gdc/backend/elastic.py
@@ -22,7 +22,7 @@
 import logging
 from urllib.parse import urlparse
 
-from elasticsearch import Elasticsearch
+from elasticsearch import Elasticsearch, NotFoundError
 
 from wis2_gdc.backend.base import BaseBackend
 
@@ -158,5 +158,13 @@ def save(self, record: dict) -> None:
         LOGGER.debug(f"Indexing record {record['id']}")
         self.es.index(index=self.index_name, id=record['id'], body=record)
 
+    def exists(self, identifier: str) -> bool:
+        LOGGER.debug(f'Querying GDC for id {identifier}')
+        try:
+            _ = self.es.get(index=self.index_name, id=identifier)
+            return True
+        except NotFoundError:
+            return False
+
     def __repr__(self):
         return '<ElasticsearchBackend>'
diff --git a/wis2-gdc-management/wis2_gdc/backend/ogcapi_records.py b/wis2-gdc-management/wis2_gdc/backend/ogcapi_records.py
index 6864671..61e5b4a 100644
--- a/wis2-gdc-management/wis2_gdc/backend/ogcapi_records.py
+++ b/wis2-gdc-management/wis2_gdc/backend/ogcapi_records.py
@@ -20,6 +20,9 @@
 ###############################################################################
 
 import logging
+import json
+
+from owslib.ogcapi import Records
 
 from wis2_gdc import env
 from wis2_gdc.backend.base import BaseBackend
@@ -29,18 +32,18 @@
 
 class OGCAPIRecordsBackend(BaseBackend):
 
-    def save(self):
+    def __init__(self, defs):
+        super().__init__(defs)
 
-        import json
+        self.conn = Records(env.API_URL)
+        self.collection = 'discovery-metadata'
 
-        from owslib.ogcapi import Records
+    def save(self):
 
-        oarec = Records(env.API_URL)
-        collection = 'discovery-metadata'
         ttype = 'create'
 
         try:
-            _ = oarec.get_collection_item(self.metadata['id'])
+            _ = self.conn.get_collection_item(self.metadata['id'])
             ttype = 'update'
         except Exception:
             pass
@@ -49,10 +52,18 @@ def save(self):
 
         if ttype == 'create':
             LOGGER.debug('Adding new record to catalogue')
-            _ = oarec.get_collection_create(collection, payload)
+            _ = self.conn.get_collection_create(self.collection, payload)
         elif ttype == 'update':
             LOGGER.debug('Updating existing record in catalogue')
-            _ = oarec.get_collection_update(collection, payload)
+            _ = self.conn.get_collection_update(self.collection, payload)
+
+    def exists(self, identifier: str) -> bool:
+        LOGGER.debug(f'Querying GDC for id {identifier}')
+        try:
+            _ = self.conn.collection_item(self.collection, identifier)
+            return True
+        except RuntimeError:
+            return False
 
     def __repr__(self):
         return '<OGCAPIRecordsBackend>'