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Implementation tools and guidance: Mental Health Services Data Set (MHSDS)

Tools and guidance to help mental health service providers implement the Mental Health Services Data Set (MHSDS). It also includes how to submit data, what data is required and the SNOMED CT codes used.

Page contents

MHSDS bulletin

The regular MHSDS monthly newsletters have now ended, and all content will now be included within the fortnightly NHS England mental health, learning disability and autism bulletin.  Sign up to the mental health, learning disability and autism bulletin to keep up to date.

Organisational assessment and planning tools

These resources will help you plan how you can implement data collection for the MHSDS.

MHSDS Conformance Checklist

The conformance checklist is a tool to help service providers assess how well their local IT systems 'map' to the MHSDS v5.0 Technical Output Specification.

MHSDS v5.0 (DCB0011, release number Amd 29/2020) was accepted by the Data Coordination Board (DCB) for collection from 1 October 2021.

Learn more about the Information Standards Notice and supporting documentation for MHSDS v5.0.

MHSDS Implementation Planning Template

The planning template will help your organisation to plan the tasks needed to implement the MHSDS. The resulting plan should describe how you intend to approach this implementation and meet the timescales you've set out.

Submission guidance documents

These documents support services and organisations to configure their systems to extract the data required for the MHSDS.

MHSDS v6.0

MHSDS V6.0 is due to go live on 1 April 2024. As documentation becomes available, you will be able to access them via the headers labelled ‘V6.0’ on this page. Please refer to the header ‘MHSDS V6.0 Technical Output Specification’ to view a current ‘Draft Enhanced Technical Output Specification’, which includes all of the derivations and validations.

MHSDS v6.0 Enhanced Technical Output Specification

The document below is the Enhanced Technical Output Specification (ETOS) which includes all of the derivations and validations. There have been some minor changes between this published version (v6.0.1) and the previous published draft version (v6.0.0.4). Details of which are outlined in the header below MHSDS v6.0 Enhanced Technical Output Specification – Minor amendments between versions.

The ETOS should be read in conjunction with the MHSDS User Guidance, MHSDS Data Model and MHSDS Mapping Guidance. Additional documentation can be found on the MHSDS DAPB  which also includes the recently published Corrigendum.

MHSDS v6.0 Enhanced Technical Output Specification – Minor amendments between versions

A number of amendments have been made to the Enhanced Technical Output Specification which has led to an updated published version.  A complete list of changes is available.  

MHSDS v6.0 Data Model

The MHSDS data model shows each of the individual tables and data items that will make up a MHSDS data submission. 

MHSDS v5.0 to v6.0 Mapping Guidance

This guidance compares v5.0 to v6.0 of the Mental Health Services Data Set to show what changes have been made as part of the v6.0 update.

MHSDS v6.0 User Guidance

The MHSDS user guidance document outlines how the national data set should be used and interpreted by users, system suppliers and other stakeholders. This document supports and should be read in conjunction with the Enhanced Technical Output Specification and Data Model.

MHSDS v5.0

MHSDS v5.0 went live on 1 October 2021. Providers should now be using MHSDS v5.0 to make their October 2021 data submissions when the submission windows open from 1 December. Any data from April to September 2021 should be submitted in version 4.1 until 18 November 2021.

MHSDS v5.0 Technical Output Specification

The Technical Output Specification defines the data items that are required from mental health service providers as part of the MHSDS.  

MHSDS v5.0 Data Model

The MHSDS data model shows each of the individual tables and data items that will make up a MHSDS data submission. 

MHSDS v4.1 to v5.0 mapping guidance

This document intends to compare v4.1 to v5.0 of the Mental Health Services Data Set to show what changes have been made as part of the v5.0 update. 

MHSDS v5.0 user guidance

The MHSDS user guidance document outlines how the national data set should be used and interpreted by users, system suppliers and other stakeholders. This document supports and should be read in conjunction with the Technical Output Specification and Data Model.

Implementation and other guidance

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Constructing submission files

Provides technical guidance for constructing a data submission file.
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General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) - information

How we've ensured compliance with data protection law, to make sure health and care data is always collected, stored, analysed and shared securely and legally.
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Data set glossary

A generic guide to abbreviations across all data sets.  
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Integration of clinical terminology

Learn more about how we are integrating clinical terminologies with national data sets.
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Technical glossary for the Technical Output Specification

Contains technical terms and detailed explanations for them to help you when you are using the Technical Output Specification. This is a generic page that can be used across data sets, although some data sets may differ slightly from others. We have tried to reference where this is the case.
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Submitting Mental Health Services Data Set (MHSDS) data

All providers of specialist secondary mental health, learning disabilities and autism spectrum disorder services should submit to the Mental Health Services Data Set (MHSDS).
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Mental health: guidance for service providers and suppliers

Information on the Mental Health Services Data Set (MHSDS) including technical specifications and guidance for providers and suppliers. The purpose of this page is to support improvements in data quality by providing links to guidance and resources available for the MHSDS.

Last edited: 28 March 2024 11:49 am