Mental Health Services on the NHS
The NHS has responded to the increase in mental health problems by offering services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan has made the commitment to increase the amount of money spent on mental health services faster than the NHS budget overall. This will include the work of a specialist in suicide prevention.
Get help
One out of four of us will have a mental health problem at some time in our lives. The good news is that there are plenty of different options to seek assistance and the majority of us recover over time. It's important to understand what help is available and who can offer it.
You can seek assistance from your physician, your local health center or mental health service in your community. These teams consist of occupational therapists, nurses psychotherapists, psychotherapists, and speech and language therapists who collaborate with people who use the service. You can receive individual or group therapy based on the kind of help you need.
You will be asked to complete a form with your doctor so that they can refer you to a mental health service in the community. They will also talk with you about the kind of help you need. You will be consulted by a member of a mental team which includes a psychologist, psychiatrist or social worker. In some cases, your assessment and treatment will be carried out by a specialist in clinical nursing. If you're experiencing crisis, contact the NHS 111 helpline for immediate support. If you already receive mental health support, it is best to call your usual team first, unless out of office hours, on a weekend or bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health included plans to establish more multidisciplinary, place-based community mental health teams, with connections to primary care networks. These teams will improve the quality of the care delivered to people experiencing a crisis, and offer support to patients in their own homes and communities rather than in hospitals.
The plan also aimed to help make crisis services more accessible by reducing wait times and opening more beds. It also proposes a mental transport vehicle and ensure that all ambulances are outfitted with a mental liaison nurse within the control room to improve how those who are experiencing mental distress are assisted in emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a wide array of treatment options for mental health issues. GPs are usually able to treat less severe disorders, but more serious conditions will require a specialist team. These teams operate in both community and primary healthcare facilities and psychiatric hospitals. You can also seek assistance in a safe space when you are in a crisis.
Talking therapies for depression and anxiety are one of the main kinds of treatment. These programs, previously referred to as IAPT (Interactive Assessment and Psychotherapy) have seen their number of referrals increase each year since they first introduced in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan has set the goal of expanding these services to 1.9 million people by 2023/2024.
Psychiatric medications are another crucial aspect of treatment. They can improve symptoms by altering how chemicals in your brain work. They can also help reduce the effects of other treatments. Your doctor will prescribe the appropriate medicine for you.
There are many kinds of talk therapy, including group therapy and individual therapy. Some of these can be delivered in person, whereas others are available via a remote device. Some patients prefer face-to-face treatment, but it's an individual choice. Mind is one of many organizations that offer support groups and classes. The site is full of information that is reliable but you should be aware of the fact that there are many false or misleading claims on the internet about mental health issues.
The NHS is working to improve mental health care but it's struggling to meet the demand. In the UK, there are 54 mental trusts. They receive the majority of funding from the clinical commissioning groups. They are usually located in a specific area however they can also be commissioned to offer national services.
The main issue is the insufficient resources to meet the growing demand. There are also concerns over the quality of care and the shortage of nurses and psychiatrists. The NHS is working to improve the services by introducing new ways of work and delivering more training. It also introduces safer and more effective ways to help people in crisis like mobile crisis teams, as well as safe places.
Supporting you
Since the NHS was launched 70 years ago, there have been positive changes for people suffering from mental health issues. The treatment options have gotten better and social barriers have been broken down. However, there is much to do.
People who are suffering from mental health issues should receive the help they require quickly and easily. This is why the NHS is striving to improve the services available to those who need them. We will ensure that every acute hospital does not have a mental health liaison service in A&E departments and inpatient wards by 2020/21. We will also ensure that 70% of these services will be in line with the 'core 24' standard by 2023/24. We will work towards 100% coverage thereafter.
We will also extend services for those who require them in the community, including psychotherapy, in order to provide hundreds of thousands more patients with severe or common mental health issues the help they require. We will continue to work on our national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme (IAPT) in order to ensure that more people suffering from mental health issues are seen faster by therapists who are qualified.
The NHS provides confidential, free helplines to anyone struggling with mental health issues. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines available. These helplines are run by trained volunteers and provide an environment where you can talk in a safe manner or provide advice and information on how to tackle your mental health concerns.
There are also a number local organizations that provide help and advice to those with mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping techniques and activities can be included. Many of these organizations also provide support groups in person for those who would prefer this type of support.
For students, there's the University's Open Door Team which offers the opportunity to visit a counselling center for those who feel low or stressed. Nightline is a student counselling service that offers private listening as well as information and support from experienced volunteers. Charities such as Mind and Rethink are a excellent source of information. They can provide support in a variety of ways such as online and through local groups. how to get a private mental health assessment can also offer many courses and activities, from mindfulness to art classes which can be helpful for people suffering from mental health problems.
Making a referral
With mental health services under pressure, doctors are forced to make difficult choices about which specialist services they can refer patients to. The doctor will take into consideration the medical history of the patient and refer them to services they believe can aid. They may refer a patient to an NHS trust or an independent provider.
A mental health professional will then evaluate the referral and decide if it's appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't satisfied with the referral they will contact the GP to discuss their decision and explain why. They might request the GP to modify the referral or ask for more details.
Requests for a local Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) may be made via the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS). The system allows doctors and other healthcare professionals refer patients to either a preliminary assessment for mental health or directly to an appointment. Not all CMHTs provide both options, and the system cannot be used for all kinds of mental health referrals.
A GP can refer a patient to a mental health specialist in the community service (CMT). These are usually run by a large local healthcare organisation or hospital. CMTs are a good choice for those who have to consult a psychologist or psychiatrist, but do not require inpatient care. They can also provide an early intervention service where a psychiatrist works with an therapist to help a person overcome a problem or improve their life quality.
CMTs face the challenge of ensuring that all referrals are received within a reasonable amount of time. Many referrals are deemed urgent even though they may not be. This can lead people who aren't in a crisis to be overworked and experience delays.
To combat Learn Even more , a few CMHTs have tried to establish more uniform standards for what constitutes a referral urgent. This has been accomplished by using a standardised referral proforma that requires a referrer to decide if the situation is urgent. The form includes a box that the referrer can tick to indicate if the request is urgent.