A new digital tool to support safer, quicker and more joined-up care for people detained under the Mental Health Act (MHA) has been introduced in the first of six Mental Health Trusts in London (25 November 2024).
East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) have now introduced the new eMHA by Thalamos system to modernise how their staff record and share information, reduce delays and make it easier to work together with other health and care professionals to best meet the needs of patients.
The current process for assessing and treating people detained under the MHA largely relies on staff completing and sharing paper-based forms. This can make the process slow and errors can occur negatively effecting patients through delays in care.
The new eMHA by Thalamos system will enable relevant staff to access patient information and securely complete MHA statutory forms on any internet connected device as well as digitally share them with all relevant staff within their Trust and partner organisations. This will support them to provide the right joined-up care safely and more quickly, while also saving them valuable time.
The OneLondon eMHA programme is using software from healthcare technology business Thalamos that was developed in consultation with patients, carer groups and clinicians. It has already been successfully introduced in other parts of the country and an earlier version of the technology was introduced at ELFT in 2020.
This major OneLondon programme is supported with NHS England funding. It will see six Mental Health Trusts in the Capital (including ELFT) introduce the eMHA by Thalamos system over the coming months supporting safer, faster and more joined up mental health care for Londoners.
Dr Paul Gilluley, Chief Medical Officer at North East London ICB and OneLondon eMHA Programme SRO, said:
“It is great news that ELFT is now live with the new eMHA by Thalamos system that will support safer, faster and more joined up care for patients while also saving hard-working health and care professionals valuable time. This is testament to the hard work of so many people at ELFT and across the wider OneLondon eMHA programme. Lessons learned from ELFT will help inform our plans to roll out the new system in five other Trusts so even more Londoners benefit from the joined-up care it supports.”
Dr Peter MacRae, Interim Chief Clinical Digital Officer at ELFT, said:
“Our priority at ELFT is to enable our staff to provide patients with the best possible care as safely and as quickly as possible. That’s why we’re delighted to be the first Trust in London to introduce the new eMHA by Thalamos system. We will share our lessons learned with the other Trusts that are part of the OneLondon programme, to help ensure that this important collaboration makes a positive difference to mental healthcare across the Capital.”
The eMHA by Thalamos system is being introduced in six of the Capital’s Mental Health Trusts from November 2024 through to March 2025:
- East London NHS Foundation Trust
- North East London NHS Foundation Trust
- North London NHS Foundation Trust
- Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust
- South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust
- South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust
Find out more information about the OneLondon eMHA programme here.