Myth: NHSmail isn't available in my Trust

Not true! NHSmail is available and can be accessed anywhere in the NHS, outside the NHS, at home, even abroad.

Myth: NHSmail is full of spam

Not true! NHSmail is protected by a multi-layered anti-virus anti-spam design. We detect and delete over 20 million spam messages each day.

Myth: NHSmail only allows small mailboxes

Each NHSmail mailbox is indeed subject to an upper limit - this is what enables us to guarantee service performance. Whilst the average limit is 200Mb (standard for large enterprise email services) each organisation can also have a number of 1gb and 500Mb mailboxes.  In the future the quota limits may well be increased. Currently NHSmail users have an average of 70Mb in their mailboxes.

Myth: NHSmail is only webmail

Not true! NHSmail is based on Exchange 2007 and can be accessed via the web or via Outlook (or other email programme). It is available via both Microsoft and non-Microsoft platforms and will work, for example, with Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Safari, Chrome and Entourage (for Mac users). For the more technically minded NHSmail is also available from NHS connections (N3) via IMAP/POP and from non-NHS connections via IMAP/POP using the VPN product.  And NHSmail is compatible with over 200 mobile devices meaning you can access your account while out and about.

Myth: NHSmail isn't secure

NHSmail is the only mail service sufficiently secure to allow transmission of confidential data. It is endorsed by the British Medical Association, the Royal College of Nursing and the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy for this purpose. NHSmail is accredited to the Government 'RESTRICTED' security standard and whilst the detailed requirements of this accreditation cannot be disclosed, we can say that NHSmail is fully secure, implementing encryption, security cleared operators, regular independent penetration testing, highly physically secure premises with 24 hour patrols. The security rating of NHSmail also means that NHSmail users are able securely to email a range of other Government email services (such as Home Office, some local government services, Police, MoD etc) - a full list is available on our website.

Myth: my local email service is secure already - I don't need NHSmail

Some locally hosted email platforms in the NHS are well run and provide good service - but none are as secure as NHSmail. They are not secure for transmission of clinical information between organisations. Emails to and from these services are not encrypted and the services are not hosted in secure environments. Whilst the excellent NHS N3 network is a private network for the NHS, it is NOT a secure network - so being connected to N3 does not make your service secure.

Myth: NHSmail doesn't work on mobile devices

Not true! NHSmail works on over 200 mobile devices using the Microsoft Exchange Active Sync protocol - this includes Windows Mobile devices, Nokia, Motorola, iPhone, Sony Ericsson, Palm, BlackBerry etc.

For more information on NHSmail please go to www.nhs.net or contact the NHSmail team via the feedback forms at http://www.connectingforhealth.nhs.uk/systemsandservices/nhsmail/contact