Mental Health Services on the NHS
The NHS has responded to the rising number of mental health issues by providing services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan reaffirmed its commitment to increase investment in mental health services faster than overall NHS budget. This will include specialized work in suicide prevention.
Helping yourself
One out of four of us will have mental health issues at some time in our lives. The good news is there are a variety of ways to seek assistance, and the majority of us will be able to recover with time. It is essential to know what help is available, and who can offer it.
You can seek assistance from a variety of sources like your GP (primary care medical doctor) or your local health centre or a community mental health team. These teams consist of occupational therapists, nurses psychotherapists, psychotherapists and speech and language therapists who collaborate with people who use the service. Based on the kind of assistance you require you could receive individual or group therapy.
You will be asked to complete a form with your GP so that they can refer you to a mental health professional in the community. They will also ask you what type of assistance you require. You will be seen by members of the mental team like psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker. In some cases a clinical nurse specialist will carry out your assessment and treatment. If you are experiencing crisis, contact the NHS 111 helpline for urgent assistance. If you're already supported by mental health services, it's best to call your usual team first, unless it's outside of the normal hours, a weekend or on a bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health detailed plans to establish multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals in the community which are connected to primary care networks. They will improve the quality of the care delivered to people who are suffering from an illness of mental health and offer support within their communities and homes rather than in hospitals.
The plan aims to make crisis services more accessible by decreasing wait times and allowing more beds. It would also include an ambulance for mental health and ensure that all ambulances are outfitted with an individual who is a mental liaison nurse in the control room to improve how those who are experiencing mental distress are supported during emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a variety of treatment options for mental health conditions. GPs typically have the ability to treat milder conditions, but more severe conditions will require a specialist team. These teams work in primary and community healthcare facilities, as well psychiatric hospital. You can also seek help in a secure space when you are in a crisis.
Talking therapies are one of the most commonly used forms of treatment for depression and anxiety. Formerly known as IAPT These programs have seen the number of people who seek them increase every year since they were introduced in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan commits to expanding these programs to ensure that 1.9 million people will be able to access them by 2023/2024.
The use of psychiatric medication is also a crucial part of treatment. They can alleviate symptoms by changing the way chemicals work in your brain. They can also help reduce the side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will prescribe the appropriate medication for you.
A wide range of talking therapy treatments are available, including group therapy and individual therapy. Some of them are offered in person, while others can be delivered online. Some patients prefer face to face treatment, but it is an individual choice. There are a variety of charities that offer support groups and classes, such as Mind. Their website is full of reliable information, but you should be aware that there's a lot of inaccurate or misleading information on the internet about mental health issues.
The NHS is working to improve the quality of mental health care, but it is struggling to meet demand. In the UK there are 54 mental trusts. Most of them receive funding for their services from the clinical commissioning groups. They usually are located in a specific area however, they may be commissioned to provide national services.
A key issue is the insufficient resources to meet the demands of the rising population. There are also concerns over the quality of care, and there is a shortage of psychiatrists and nurses. The NHS is striving to improve its services by introducing new ways of working and offering more training. It also offers more secure and efficient methods to treat people in crisis. These include mobile crisis teams and safe space.
Supporting you
Since the NHS was established 70 years ago, there have been many positive changes for people with mental health issues. Treatment options have expanded and social barriers are being taken down. But there is more to be done.
People who are suffering from a mental crisis need to receive the help they require quickly and easily. what is a mental health assessment is working to improve services to ensure that those in need are able to access assistance. We will ensure that every acute hospital does not have a mental health liaison service in A&E departments and wards for patients by 2020/21, and that 70 percent of these services will be in line with the 'core 24' standard by 2023/24. Then we will work towards a 100% coverage rate after that.
We will also enhance community services, including talk therapy, in order to provide support for hundreds of thousands of people with mental health problems, whether they are severe or common. We will continue to work on our national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies program (IAPT), so that more people suffering from mental health issues can be seen more quickly by trained therapists.
The NHS provides confidential, free assistance to anyone suffering from mental health issues. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines that are available. These helplines are run by trained volunteers. They provide the opportunity to talk with someone in a secure environment or give guidance and information on how to tackle your mental health concerns.
Additionally, there are a number of local organizations that can provide support and guidance to those with mental health issues. These can include self-help guides, coping strategies, and activities to try. Many of these organizations also offer face-to-face support groups for those who would prefer this type of support.
The University's Open Door Team offers a drop-in counseling service for students who are feeling down or stressed. Nightline is a student counselling service that offers confidential listening assistance, information and support from experienced volunteers. Charities such as Mind and Rethink are a great source of information and provide support in various forms that include online and through local groups. They also offer a variety of courses and activities, from mindfulness to art groups, which may be useful for those living with mental health issues.
Referrals
With mental health services under pressure, GPs are having to make difficult choices about which specialist services they can refer patients to. The GP will consider the patient's medical background and recommend them to services they believe will be able help. They can send a referral either to an NHS trust, or an independent provider.
A mental health specialist will examine the referral to determine if it's appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't pleased with the referral they will contact the GP to discuss their decision and provide the reason. what is a mental health assessment might request the GP to change the referral or ask for more details.
Referrals to a local Community Mental Health Team can be made via the NHS e-Referral Service. The system permits GPs and other health professionals to refer people to either a pre-mental health clinical assessment or directly to an appointment with an outpatient. Not all CMHTs provide both options, and the system is not able to be used for all kinds of mental health referrals.
A doctor may decide to refer a patient to a specialized community mental health service (CMT). These are usually run by a large local healthcare organization or hospital. CMTs are a great option for those who want to consult with a seasoned psychologist or psychiatrist but do not require inpatient treatment. They can also provide an early intervention program, where a psychiatrist collaborates with an counselor to help someone overcome a crisis or increase their quality of life.
CMTs are faced with the task of ensuring that all referrals are received within a reasonable time frame. Many referrals are considered urgent, even though they might not be. This can cause people who aren't experiencing a crisis to be rushed and suffer delays.
To address this issue, some CMHTs have attempted to establish more uniform guidelines for what constitutes a referral urgent. This was achieved by using a standardised form which asks the referrer if they believe the case is urgent. The form has a checkbox that the referrer can tick in the event that they believe that the referral is urgent.