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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). 

Page contents

MHSDS bulletin

The monthly Mental Health newsletters, are now published on NHS England Futures (you will need to register to access this page). The newsletters can be found within the mental health data, reporting and dashboards’ space in the MHLDA bulletin mental health services information updates area.

We have also created an additional workspace to support colleagues working across the adult and older adult mental health sector. To bring together resources and information to support the delivery of the adult and older adults mental health programme. 

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 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 (v6.0.4) and the previous published version (v6.0.3). These changes do not impact any of the submitted data items, they are minor editorial changes and updates to derivations and derivation constructions.

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 Data Model

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

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 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 v5.0

MHSDS v5.0 submission guidance documents and Version 4.1 information standard documents are available from the MHSDS archive.

Organisational assessment and planning tools

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

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: 24 April 2025 2:54 pm