eMHA
Information for health professionals on the new eMHA tool to support care for people detained under the Mental Health Act (MHA)
Note: This information is for Approved Mental Health Professionals, Section 12 doctors and Second Opinion Appointed Doctors, and all mental health professionals who view or handle MHA information.
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 West London and St George’s 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 a number of 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 West London and St George’s. 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.