NHS Mail (NHS.net)

The NHS is encouraging ALL Care Providers to use NHS Mail. NHS Mail allows you to share communications securely with the other NHS Mail users and local authority .gov.uk email addresses. You may also find it is a requirement of your local authority contract.

NHS Mail is also a requirement if you are using Proxy Access and to access the Digitising Social Care (DISC) fund

Please note If your organisation has had accounts set up for it in the past (eg Staff who have now left) you must contact the NHS Mail Helpdesk on 0333 200 1133 to add or remove accounts

Why do I need NHS Mail?

As NHS.net is secure it allows safe transfer of medical and patient records between recipients. For example it allows GPs to send prescriptions to care homes by email or share medical infomation. It also allows secure email transfer to local authority .gov.uk accounts

It is needed for Proxy Access and Shared Care Records

If you are ordering medication for your residents using the proxy access system, you must have an NHS Mail account to access this.

Free access to Microsoft Teams.

Teams is Microsofts online video conferencing software and is included free of charge with NHS Mail. With teams you can meet remore colleagues without leaving the office or allow GPs to conduct 'virtual consultations' with your service users

It's a Contractual obligation with the Health Service and Local Authorities

As more emphasis is placed on data security, the health system will likely prioritise working with providers who have NHS.net to the detriment of those who do not. If you have an existing contract with your CCG, it is a contractual requirement that you have or are working towards obtaining NHS.net. It also gives you access to the contact details of nearly 1 million health personnel.

It goes towards your KLoEs

CQC look favourably on a provider having NHS.net (KLOEs 2.8 Well Led)

Accounts are Transferable

Individual accounts are transferrable should the member of staff leave or you employ a new member of staff with an existing NHS.net account

Opening NHS Mail Accounts

In order to open an NHS Mail account you must first successfully complete the DSPT (Data Security Protection Toolkit)

This is not a short process and requires preparation

The Care Association can currently offer FREE support to do this including workshops. Full details can be found by clicking the 'Better Security Better Care' link on this page.

Opening your accounts

Once you have completed the DSPT you can open your accounts

This is done on the NHS Mail Website by clicking on the 'Join NHSmail button'

Scroll down to National Administration Service (NAS) and then click on the Social Care Link

Click on the Starter Guide for Social Care Providers and read the advice

Once done click Registering a social care organisation, for example, a care provider or care home service – NHSmail Support.

You then have 2 options:

National Administration Service (NAS)

For most Social Care Providers you need to use the National Administration Service (NAS)

The registration portal is not particularly user friendly so we recommend you bare the following in mind as once you begin the registration process, you cannot make any changes.

You can set up to 10 individual email addresses per site. These must be named individuals. You cannot set up a generic address (eg carehomemanager@nhs.net). A shared mailbox for the site for generic use - which individual users can access - will automatically be created

All individual addresses must be set up during the application process. You cannot go back into the portal to set up accounts at a later date.

For each individual address you will need a unique existing email address (can be a personal one as will only be used to send joining instructions) and a unique mobile number (again can be a personal one as will be used to text a one time passcode)

To help you we have put together a checklist for you to get this information together in advance.

Once you are happy to proceed click on online registration portal tool and follow the instructions

Self Managed

If you are a larger provider or have multiple sites you may find the Self Managed route is more appropriate.

This route is for larger care providers with multiple sites, who have the necessary IT infrastructure and resourcing to carry out administration activities for their own NHSmail accounts, co-ordinated by their own Local Administrators.

For this route you need to complete a Self Management application form and NHS Mail will evaluate your application

Please note you cannot use either of these routes for adding new users to an existing Company NHS Mail account. You will need to contact the NHS Mail helpdesk (email careadmin@nhs.net or call 0333 200 1133) or if Self Managed your local account administrator

The Data Security Protection Toolkit (DSPT)

In order to set up your NHS Mail account, you must first complete the DSPT.

The Data Security and Protection Tool Kit (DSPT) is an Online Assessment which all Care Providers who work with and access NHS patient data and systems (including NHS Mail) must complete annually.

It is a condition of accessing NHS Mail that you have successfully completed the DSPT to Standards Met level

The tool kit covers such areas as your privacy and data protection policies, how you store and backup data, how you secure mobile devices, business continuity in the event of a cyber incident and how you manage your IT security and support.

Successful completion of the DSPT is also a requirement to access NHS Mail and Proxy Access,

The West Midlands Care Association is part of a FREE national program - Better Security Better Care - to assist all CQC registered care providers with this.

To find our what you need to do next, just click on the button below.

Better Security Better Care

Multi Factor Authentication (MFA)

All users of NHS Mail accounts (existing and new) will be required to use Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) to access their accounts

This is an additional security measure that requires you to confirm your identify through a variety of methods (usually using an App on your phone or texting a one time pass code to you)

The NHS has issued guidedance on how to implement MFA which you can acess by clicking on the links below

MFA enrolment: https://comms-mat.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/Comms-Archive/Getting+Started+with+MFA_Steps+for+Self-Enrolment.pdf

Choosing the text method option: https://comms-mat.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/Comms-Archive/Setting+Up+MFA_Steps+for+Text+Message.pdf