The OneLondon eMHA programme has achieved a significant milestone, with North East London NHS Foundation Trust (NELFT) and South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust (SWLSTG) simultaneously going live with eMHA by Thalamos.
This development not only transforms how Mental Health Act (MHA) processes are managed across the capital but also introduces the first ever instance of real-time data sharing across London-based NHS Mental Health Trusts regarding detention statuses.
Mental Health Act legal status for individuals will be visible to health and care professionals who are providing them care in Mental Health Trusts and Local Authorities, as well as being available to independent S12 doctors that provide assessment.
The eMHA by Thalamos system replaces paper-based workflows with a secure, integrated digital platform, allowing health and care professionals to complete, share, and manage MHA documentation more efficiently. This step forward enhances safety, accuracy across the capital, and coordination in the care of individuals detained under the MHA to free up clinical time to care and improve patient outcomes.
“Ultimately this is about ensuring many more Londoners benefit from the joined-up care the new system supports,” commented Dr Paul Gilluley, Chief Medical Officer at North East London ICB and OneLondon eMHA Programme SRO.
Dr Sean Whyte, Consultant Psychiatrist, Acting Chief Medical Officer and eMHA Project SRO at SWLStG, said: “Here at SWLStG we have a strong track record of implementing some of the latest technologies to assist our staff to provide effective, high-quality patient care. That’s why we are part of the OneLondon eMHA programme that will help join up emergency mental health care across the capital for the benefit of patients.”
Collaborative care
For the first time, Mental Health Trusts across London can share real-time data about patients detained under the MHA, creating opportunities for collaborative care. Knowing when a patient is detained under a section in another part of the city enables clinicians to:
- Avoid duplicated assessments: Reducing the risk of repeat assessments causing unnecessary delays to care and distress to patients
- Provide informed care: Access to detention statuses ensures care is quickly tailored to the patient’s legal and clinical needs.
- Enhance continuity of care: When patients move across boundaries, their detention information is available to the relevant parties who need to play a role in their care, ensuring seamless transitions and continuity
“The OneLondon eMHA programme was ambitious in its intentions and, now that three of six Trusts are using Thalamos, we will really start to see what more joined-up care looks like and access the data needed to direct system improvements.”
This innovation addresses long-standing challenges in mental health care, where limited visibility of detention statuses across Trusts could result in inefficiencies and gaps in care delivery.
Arden Tomison, CEO at Thalamos, said: “Now that three London mental health Trusts are live, we will really start to see the transformative nature of the programme.
“That all Trusts will be able to, in real time, see the detention status of patients in different parts of London is truly transformative. Access to relevant and accurate data is a crucial part of providing patient-centred care.”
Dr Samir Shah, Chief Clinical Information Officer at NELFT, said: “We are confident that eMHA by Thalamos will support high quality joined-up care throughout the region and we look forward to seeing these benefits realised over the weeks ahead.”
Advancing the programme
NELFT and SWLSTG join East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT), which implemented the eMHA by Thalamos system in November 2024, as Trusts that have now digitised processes. The remaining three London mental health Trusts that are part of the programme are set to go live by March 2025, further expanding the reach and impact of a unified digital system.
Zoe Seager, client director at Thalamos, added: “We’re really excited to welcome NELFT and SWLStG. The OneLondon eMHA programme was ambitious in its intentions and, now that three of six Trusts are using Thalamos, we will really start to see what more joined-up care looks like and access the data needed to direct system improvements.”
Transforming processes
The benefits of eMHA by Thalamos include:
- Faster care delivery Reduced administrative tasks accelerate assessments and treatment
- Enhanced safety Digital workflows minimise errors and ensure compliance with legal requirements
- Improved patient experience Streamlined processes provide a more responsive and compassionate experience for patients
- Data-driven planning Real-time insights enable Trusts to plan services more effectively and respond to trends in mental health care needs
A collaborative future
By enabling data sharing across Trusts, the OneLondon eMHA programme ensures that individuals detained under the MHA receive the highest standard of care, regardless of their location within London.
As more Trusts adopt the system, the programme is poised to set a new benchmark for digital innovation in mental health care, bringing London closer to a fully integrated and patient-centred system.
The final three OneLondon eMHA programme Trusts (North London NHS Foundation Trust, Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust and South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust) will begin using eMHA by Thalamos by the end of March 2025.
