When using Outlook desktop with NHSmail a true Shared mailbox will store sent & deleted items in the User mailbox folders and a copy in the Shared mailbox folders.

A copy will not be made in the 'Generic' User mailbox during the interim process between having your staff access a 'Generic' User mailbox via delegation until converted to a true Shared mailbox. We cannot give a timeframe on the conversion process as this is managed by the national team; they confirm conversions started as scheduled on 27 May and they expect to increase numbers in the coming weeks.

If this will not impact your internal processes, then you do not need to take any action. For example, if your staff do not use Outlook desktop or if you keep thorough records, saving all correspondence to the patient medical record for reference/audits.

If this will impact your internal processes, please see below. e.g. Staff regularly review the records in the email account 'Sent items'

Options in the interim

This includes sections regarding Sent Items and Deleted items

Sent items

1. Do not use Outlook desktop.
   Access your own User mailbox (in your name) via Outlook Web App: https://outlook.office.com and access the other mailboxes using the 'Open another mailbox' function.
2. Use Outlook desktop, but copy Sent Items from your own User mailbox (in your name) and paste into to the Sent items of the shared mailbox.
   This can be done for both individuals emails and bulk selections via the following options:
   1. Standard keyboard shortcuts.
      1. Select the item(s) in individual's Sent Items and Copy (CTRL+C)
      2. Open the Sent Items folder in the other mailbox and Paste (CTRL+V)
   2. Outlook 'Quick Steps'
      This allows a 'one click' copy to the other folder; but needs to be setup.
      1. Open Quick Steps from the toolbar
      2. New > Custom
      3. Choose action > Copy to folder (Not "Move")
      4. Choose folder > Select the 'Sent Items' folder of the other mailbox. It is likely you will need to use the Other folder option on the menu
         Optional: Rename your Quick Step and/or select a preferred icon
      5. Finish
      6. With your Quick Step created you can now select an email or emails in your own 'Sent items', click the Quick Step and anything selected will be copied to the other folder in bulk.

We do not recommend manually "dragging and dropping" emails; this will move the email rather than copy and remove the individual's own evidence of their work if there are subsequent queries/issues. It is also extremely easy to release on the wrong folder and not be able to easily locate the items.

Deleted items

If your surgery is referencing the 'Deleted items' folder as a common practice for queries regarding recent email correspondence, we recommend this stop. If you need a reference/audit of recent activity, instead determine your retention period and move emails to a folder for this purpose. This might be the default 'Archive' folder* or a folder created specifically for this such as "Completed work", "Done" or "Audit" etc.  You can set the folder to automatically archive or delete items after a certain period by assigning a policy (e.g. 6 months, 1 year, 5 years), this will help ensure the mailbox does not get filled with historic content.

*In the main mailbox, not to be confused with 'Online Archive' which is separate.