Mental Health Services on the NHS
The NHS has responded to the rising number of mental health issues by offering services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan reaffirmed its commitment to increase investment in mental healthcare services faster than the overall NHS budget. This will include specialist work in suicide prevention.
Get help
One in four of us will have mental health issues at some time in our lives. The good news is there are many ways to get assistance, and the majority of us will recover with time. It is crucial to know the types of help available and who can offer it.
You can seek help from your GP, your local health center or a mental health team in your area. These teams consist of occupational therapists, nurses psychotherapists, psychotherapists, and speech and language therapists who work with people who use the service. Depending on the type of help you require you could receive individual or group therapy.
You will be asked to complete a form with your GP so they can refer you to a mental health team in the community. They will also ask what kind of support you need. You will then be examined by a member of a mental health team, which may include a psychiatrist, social worker or psychologist. In some instances your evaluation and treatment will be performed by a specialist in clinical nursing. You can call the NHS 111 helpline when you're in an emergency. If you're already being assisted by mental health services, it's a good idea to try and contact your usual team first unless it's out of normal hours, on a weekend or a bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health included plans to establish more place-based, multidisciplinary community mental health teams, with connections to primary care networks. They will improve the quality of care given to those experiencing a mental health crisis and provide support in their homes and communities rather than in hospitals.
The plan also aimed to make crisis services more accessible by reducing waiting times and opening more beds. It would also include an ambulance for mental health and ensure that all ambulances are equipped with an individual who is a mental liaison nurse in the control room to make sure that patients who are suffering from mental illness are assisted in emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a variety of treatment options for mental health issues. GPs typically have the ability to treat minor disorders, but more serious illnesses will require a specialist team. These teams work across primary and community mental health services and psychiatric hospitals. There are also safe spaces where you can seek assistance when you're in a state of crisis.
Talking therapies are one of the most popular forms of treatment for depression and anxiety. Previously known as IAPT These programs have seen referral numbers increase each year since their introduction in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan commits to expanding these programs so that 1.9 million people will be able to use them in 2023/2024.
Psychiatric medicines are also a vital element of treatment. They can help alleviate symptoms by altering the way chemicals work in your brain. They can also help lessen the negative effects of other treatments. Your doctor will suggest the right medication for you.
A wide variety of talking therapy options are available which include group therapy as well as individual therapy. Some of them are offered in person, but others can be done remotely. Some patients prefer receiving treatment in person, but this is a personal decision. There are also a lot of charities that offer support groups and classes like Mind. The website contains a wealth of information that is trustworthy, but be aware of the fact that there are a lot of false or misleading statements that are posted on the internet regarding mental health issues.
While the NHS is working to improve its mental health services, it still struggles to keep up with demand. There are 54 mental health trusts across the UK and the majority of them receive funding from clinical commissioning groups to provide their service. They typically are located in a specific region however they can also be commissioned to offer national services.
The shortage of resources is a major issue. There are also concerns about the quality of care, and there is a shortage of psychiatrists and nurses. The NHS is trying to improve these services by offering more training and introducing new ways of working. It also provides more efficient and safer methods of treating people in crisis. These include mobile crisis teams and safe space.
We are here to help you
Since the NHS was launched 70 years ago, there have been many positive developments for those suffering from mental health issues. Treatment options have expanded and social barriers are being broken down. But there is more to be done.
People who are in mental health issues should receive the help they require quickly and easily. The NHS is striving to improve the quality of services to ensure that those in need receive assistance. By 2020/21 we will ensure that all acute hospitals have a mental-health liaison service, both in A&E and on inpatient wards, and that 70% will be in compliance with the core 24 standard by 2023/24. We will then work towards 100 percent coverage.
We will also increase services for people who need them in the community, such as therapy for talking, which will give thousands of more people suffering from 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 problems can be seen quicker by therapists who are qualified.
The NHS offers confidential, no-cost 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 information and advice on how to manage your mental health concerns.
Additionally to that, there are a lot of local organizations that can offer support and guidance for those with mental health issues. These include self-help guides, strategies for coping and activities to try. Many of these organizations provide support groups in person to those who prefer it.
For students, there is the University's Open Door Team which offers a drop-in counselling service for those feeling depressed or stressed. Nightline is a student counselling service that offers confidential listening, support and information from experienced volunteers. Charities like Mind and Rethink can provide an abundance of information and support, both on the internet and in local groups. private mental health assessment uk offer various courses and activities, from mindfulness to art groups which can be helpful for people suffering from mental health issues.
Referrals
Mental health services are under strain and GPs have to make difficult choices about which specialist services they should refer their patients to. The GP will look at the patient's medical background and refer them to services they believe will be able to aid. They may send a referral to an NHS trust or an independent provider.
A mental health specialist will review the referral to determine if it's appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't satisfied with the referral, they will contact the GP and explain their reasons. They may request the GP to alter the referral or request additional details.
The ability to refer patients to a local Community Mental Health Team can be made through the NHS e-Referral Service. The system allows doctors and other healthcare professionals send patients to either a preliminary clinical 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 doctor may also refer patients to a mental health specialist in the community service (CMT). These are usually operated by a large local healthcare organization or a hospital. CMTs are an excellent option for those who require to visit a psychologist or psychiatrist, but do not require inpatient care. They also offer an early intervention service, where a psychiatrist works with the counselor to help someone overcome a crisis or improve their quality of life.
One of the major challenges that CMTs CMT is ensuring that all suitable referrals are assigned within an appropriate time frame. One of the challenges is that a lot of referrals are considered urgent, despite the fact that they may not be. This can cause people who aren't in crisis to be overworked and experience delays.
To combat this problem, some CMHTs have attempted to establish more uniform guidelines for what constitutes an urgent referral. This is being achieved through the use of a standardised referral proforma that requires the referrer to consider whether the case is urgent. The form has a checkbox that the referrer can tick if they feel the referral is urgent.