eMHA by Thalamos
eMHA is new digital tool to support safer, faster and more joined up care for people detained under the Mental Health Act (MHA) is being introduced soon in South London and Maudsley Mental Health Trust.
The MHA sets out a legal process that protects patients with mental health conditions who need to be detained and treated. This helps ensure they get the right treatment in a safe way.
Currently in most parts of London the process for assessing and treating people detained under the MHA relies on different staff from different organisations, including our Trust, completing and sharing several paper-based forms.
This can make the process complex and slow. The new tool will help ensure information is correct and improve patient care by speeding up processes for care to be delivered and improve outcomes for our patients.
eMHA is being introduced in six of London mental health trusts including South London and Maudsley. It will modernise how health and care professionals record and share information and help reduce delays in the MHA process.
This will support safer, quicker and more joined-up assessment, treatment and discharge of people detained under the MHA while also saving staff time.
Training
Online training is now available for health professionals who need access to eMHA, the new digital tool for accessing and handling MHA documents. This is available on LEAP and DLS.
The short simple e-learning session is vital for you to be able to access digital MHA paperwork after eMHA is rolled out on the 24 March 2025.
Training for Approved Mental Health Professionals is available on NHS Learning Hub
Training for Independent Section 12 Doctors is available on NHS Learning Hub
Professionals with an eMHA user account can invite Guest users. More information: eMHA Thalamos Guest Users
What using the new eMHA by Thalamos will mean for your professional group
AMHPS
- You will be able to complete all admission and Community Treatment Order forms through the eMHA system.
- Additional workflows are supported, such as section 15 amends to allow corrections to be made easily and remotely.
Approved Clinicians
- Through the eMHA system you can easily complete all forms electronically including admission, treatment, community treatment order and discharge forms.
- You will be able to access the current MHA detention status for your patients to manage any upcoming MHA deadlines and actions such as renewals.
- Data validation ensures information is correct first time. Section 15 amends can also be completed remotely if an amend is required
Ward Nurses (receiving officers)
- Through the eMHA system you can easily complete, process and share all MHA forms including short-term holding powers, renewals and all other forms involving ward teams.
- You will be able to access your wards dashboard which will show the current MHA detention status for patients on your ward.
Mental Health Act Administrators
- Access to an overview of your Trust’s patients and their current MHA detention status will drive improved reporting, section expiry notifications and outstanding actions required from staff to help manage MHA deadlines.
- Additional workflows are supported such as section 15 amends to allow corrections to be easily made. You can also easily access relevant patient history to support administrative processes such as gathering information for Tribunal Services, reducing administrative burden and streamlining MHA processes.
Long term benefits
You can access MHA Forms from across your Integrated Care System and view a summary MHA status for patients across London. This will provide relevant patient information so you can request more information about previous episodes of care to inform your assessment of the individual such as whether they should be admitted or for continuity of care or to be closer to their support system.
Information Videos
- A general introduction to the new eMHA system for staff involved in the MHA care pathway.
- An introduction to the new eMHA system for Doctors
- An introduction to the new eMHA system for Nursing Teams
- An introduction to the new eMHA system for Mental Health Law Teams
- An introduction to the new eMHA system for Approved Mental Health Professionals
Information Posters
eMHA launch poster- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
eMHA launch flyer- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
External Sites: One London eMHA Programme
