Mental Health Services on the NHS
The NHS has responded to the rise in mental health issues by offering 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.
Get assistance
One of four of us will have a mental health problem at some moment in our lives. The good news is there are many avenues to seek help, and most of us will recover with time. It's important to understand what assistance is available and who can provide it.
You can seek assistance from your GP, your local health center or mental health team in your area. These teams consist of occupational therapists, nurses psychotherapists, psychotherapists and speech and language therapists who work with those who utilize the service. Based on the kind of help you need you might be provided with individual or group therapy.
Your GP will usually require you to fill out an application form so that they can refer you to a local mental health team. They will also speak to you about what kind of assistance you require. Then, you will be viewed by a member of the mental health team, which could include a psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker. In some cases, your assessment and treatment will be conducted by a clinical nurse specialist. If you're in an emergency, you can contact the NHS 111 helpline for urgent support. If you're already being assisted by mental health services, it's a good idea call your usual team first, unless it's out of normal hours, on a weekend or on a bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health set out plans to establish more place-based, multidisciplinary community mental health teams with links to primary care networks. These will help to improve the quality of care delivered to people who are experiencing a mental health crisis and offer support within their communities and homes rather than in hospitals.
The plan also aims at making crisis services accessible by decreasing waiting times and opening more beds. It would also introduce an ambulance for mental health and ensure that all ambulances are stocked with a mental liaison nurse within the control room to make sure that patients who are suffering from mental illness are supported during emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a range of treatment options for mental health conditions. Disorders that are less severe are usually treated by GPs however more severe conditions require an expert team. These teams operate in community and primary health services for mental health, as well psychiatric hospital. You can also seek help in a secure environment should you be in a state of crisis.
Talking therapies for depression and anxiety are among the main types of treatment. Formerly known as IAPT, these programs have seen the number of people who seek them increase each year since they were introduced in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan commits to expanding these services to ensure that 1.9 million people can access them in 2023/2024.
Psychiatric medications are also a vital part of treatment. They can alleviate symptoms by altering the way chemicals work in your brain. They can also help reduce the side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will prescribe the best medication for you.
There are many different types of talking therapies, including individual therapy and group therapy. Some of them are offered in person, but others can be delivered online. Some patients prefer face to face treatment, but it's a matter of choice. There are also a number of charities that offer classes and support groups, such as Mind. The site contains a wealth of reliable information however, be aware that there are a lot of false or misleading statements that are posted on the internet about mental health issues.
While the NHS is improving its mental health care, it still struggles to cope with demand. There are 54 mental health trusts across the UK, and most of are funded by clinical commissioning groups to deliver their service. They typically are located in a particular region however, they may be commissioned to provide national services.
The absence of resources is a major problem. There are concerns over the quality and shortage of psychiatrists and nurses. The NHS is trying to improve the quality of care by providing more training and developing new ways of working. It also offers more secure and efficient ways to help those who are in crisis. book a mental health assessment includes mobile crisis teams, as well as safe spaces.
We are here to help you
Since the NHS was established 70 years ago there are positive changes for those with mental health issues. Treatment options have expanded and social barriers are being broken down. But there is much more to be done.
Patients who are experiencing mental health problems require the ability to get the assistance they require quickly and easily. This is why the NHS is putting in the effort to improve services for people who require them. We will ensure that no acute hospital is without the mental health liaison service in A&E departments and wards for patients by 2020/21. 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 increase services for people who require them in the community, including psychotherapy, in order to provide hundreds of thousands of people suffering from severe or common mental health issues the help they need. We will continue to develop our national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme (IAPT), so that more people with mental health issues can be seen quicker by trained therapists.
The NHS provides free, confidential helplines to anyone suffering from mental health issues. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines that are available. These helplines are run by volunteers who offer an environment where you can talk to someone in a safe manner or provide advice and information on how to manage your mental health issues.
Additionally there are a variety 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 organisations 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 experiencing stress or depression. Nightline is a student counseling service that offers confidential listening as well as information and support from experienced volunteers. Charities like Mind and Rethink can provide a wealth of information and support both on the internet and in local groups. They can offer a range of classes and activities, from mindfulness to art classes that are beneficial for those with mental health issues.
Referrals
Mental health services are under pressure and GPs must make difficult choices regarding which specialist services to refer their patients to. The doctor will take a patient's medical history into account and then refer them to a service they think will be able to help. They may refer a patient to an NHS trust or an independent service.
A mental health specialist will assess the referral to determine if it is appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't pleased with the referral, they'll contact the GP to discuss their decision and explain why. They may also ask the GP to modify the referral or request additional details.
Requests for a local Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) may be made via the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS). The system lets doctors and other healthcare professionals send patients to either a preliminary clinical assessment for mental health or directly to an appointment. However not all CMHTs provide both options, and the system can't be used for every kind of mental health referral.
A doctor may also refer patients to a mental health specialist in the community service (CMT). They are typically run by a large local healthcare organisation or hospital. CMTs are an excellent option for those who need to consult a psychologist or psychiatrist but don't require inpatient treatment. They can also provide an early intervention service where psychiatrists work with a therapist in order to assist someone in overcoming a crisis or improve the quality of their lives.
One of the major challenges that CMTs CMT is ensuring that all referrals are made within the proper time frame. One of the challenges is that a large number of referrals are deemed urgent, despite the fact that they may not be. This can lead people who aren't in crisis to be overworked and experience delays.
To address this issue, some CMHTs have attempted to establish more uniform standards for what constitutes an urgent referral. This was achieved through an established form that asks the referrer to indicate if the case is urgent. The proforma has a box that the referrer is able to tick to indicate if the referral is urgent.