Thalamos - the New Electronic Mental Health Act system and how it affects your information | Our blog

We want to let you know about a new digital system called the electronic Mental Health Act (eMHA), which is designed to improve care for people detained under the Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA).

What is the eMHA system?

The eMHA system replaces old paper-based forms with a faster, safer, and more efficient digital system. This means important documents about your care can be completed and shared more quickly with the right people. It was developed by Thalamos, an organisation which specialises in improving Mental Health Act processes and in partnership with clinicians, patients and families.

How does this benefit you?

• Faster Care – Reduces delays caused by paperwork and errors.
• Safer and More Accurate – Minimises errors from lost or incomplete forms.
• Better Communication – Helps doctors, nurses, social workers, and mental health teams work together more effectively.

What information do we collect?

We already keep a record of your health information to ensure you receive the best care. This hasn’t changed. The only difference is that instead of using paper forms, we now securely record and process this information electronically through the eMHA system. The information we process include:

Data Table

Category	Type
Health and Social Care Professional/ Organisation Data	Thalamos stores the following data for your health and care professionals to support the administration of the Mental Health Act. This includes: Name Email Address Professional registration details Professional approval statuses Signature Organisations memberships Team memberships GP GP’s address
Patient Data	Statutory Patient Data – this information is required to administer the Mental Health Act. It includes your: Name  Address. Patient Demographic Data – this information plus your statutory data is required by health and social care services to accurately identify you. Patient Demographic Data includes your: Name Address & Postcode Date of Birth NHS Number Other patient data include: Gender Racial or ethnic origin Commission or alleged commission of an offence Telephone numbers Biometrics Genetics
Physical, social or mental health situation or condition	Your mental health status Mental Health status original start date and time Number of renewals Not detained date and time Not detained reason Detailed Clinical data Sexual life Family, lifestyle and social circumstances (marital status, housing, travel, leisure activities, membership of charities) Employment details – career history, recruitment and termination details, attendance details, appraisals etc

Who can see your information?

Only authorised professionals involved in your care, including doctors, nurses, social workers, and mental health legal teams, can access your information through the eMHA system. In the future, your GP or hospital emergency staff may also be able to see a summary of your MHA status via the London Care Record to help them support you better.

How is your information kept safe?

• The eMHA system meets strict NHS, national and international security standards to keep your data safe.
• Only approved professionals can access your records.
• Regular security checks are carried out to protect your information.
• The Trust has also assessed and managed any risks through a Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA).

Want to know more?

If you have any questions about how the eMHA system affects your personal data or care, please speak to your care team. You can also visit the OneLondon website for more details: OneLondon eMHA Information