NHSmail is a secure, web-based email service developed for the National Health Services (NHS) of England and Scotland as part of the NHS National Programme for IT by NHS Connecting for Health.
It is designed to comprise an integrated and secure e-mail, diary and directory system for NHS employees, and offers access from any networked computer and from mobile devices. NHSmail provides a secure, encrypted means of exchanging information and has been approved for this purpose by the British Medical Association (BMA) and the Royal College of Nursing (RCN).
The NHSmail system uses a customised version of Microsoft Exchange (2007) and thus may be accessed by Microsoft Outlook on Windows or Microsoft Entourage on Apple OS X. Mozilla Thunderbird may also be used (on Windows only) via the use of a proprietary VPN application available to NHSmail users. If the local mail client brings any items down to the local computer these are taken outside of the NHSmail encrypted environment. A web interface is available subject to the usual limitations of Outlook Web Access (the service is co-branded), especially if a browser other than MS Internet Explorer is used. Mobile devices which support Exchange email and calendar may be configured to use NHSmail email and calendar functions, either with native capability or by installing third party software. Whilst no mobile phones are officially supported by NHSmail the following devices are able to connect :[1]
NHSMail offers an SMS gateway. It is thus possible to send SMS messages using a connected email client or web interface. It is not (December 2009) possible to receive SMS by this method however. A suggested use for this facility is to remind patients of their appointments to reduce the incidence of 'Did Not Attends'.