Mental Health Services on the NHS
There has been a huge increase in people seeking help for mental health issues and the NHS has responded by providing 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 in general. This includes specialist suicide prevention work.
Get help
One in four of us will have mental health issues at some point in our lives. The good news is that there are a variety of different ways to seek help, and most people recover with time. But it's important to know what help is available and who can offer it.
You can seek help from a variety of places such as your GP (primary care medical doctor) or your local health center or a community mental health team. These teams consist of occupational and nurse psychotherapists, as well as speech therapists. They collaborate with clients who seek their services. Depending on the type of assistance you require you might be provided with individual or group therapy.
Your GP will usually ask you to fill in the form so that they can send you a referral to a community mental health team. They will also speak to you about the type of help you need. You will be consulted by members of the mental team which includes a psychologist, psychiatrist or social worker. In some cases your evaluation and treatment will be carried out by a specialist in clinical nursing. You can call the NHS 111 helpline for assistance if you're in an emergency. If you already receive mental health support It is recommended to contact your primary team first, unless it is out of office hours, on a weekend or a bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health included plans to establish more multidisciplinary, community-based, place-based mental health teams, with connections to primary care networks. These teams will enhance the quality of the care delivered to people experiencing a crisis, and will provide assistance to those in their own homes and communities instead of in hospitals.
The plan also aims at making emergency services available by decreasing wait times and opening up more beds. It would also introduce the mental transport vehicle and ensure that all ambulances are equipped with a mental liaison nurse within the control room to ensure that people experiencing a mental crisis are supported during emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a variety of treatment options for mental health conditions. GPs are often able to treat less severe illnesses, however more serious illnesses will require an expert team. These teams work in primary and community health services for mental health, as well psychiatric hospital. There are also safe places where you can seek assistance for those who are in a state of crisis.
Talking therapies are among the most commonly used forms of treatment for anxiety and depression. Formerly known as IAPT These programs have seen referral numbers increase every year since they were introduced in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan has committed to expanding these programs to 1.9 million people by 2023/2024.
Psychiatric drugs are a different component of treatment. They can alleviate symptoms by altering the way the brain's chemicals function. They can also help lessen the negative effects of other treatments. Your doctor will prescribe the appropriate medication for you.
There are many different types of talking therapies, including individual therapy and group therapy. Some of these are delivered in person, whereas others can be delivered remotely. Some patients prefer treatment in person, but this is a personal decision. Mind is one of many charities that provide support groups and classes. Their website has a lot of information that is reliable, however you should be aware that there's plenty of false or misleading information available on the internet regarding mental health issues.
The NHS is working to improve the mental health system, but it's struggling to meet the demand. There are 54 mental health trusts in the UK and the majority of them receive funding from clinical commissioning groups to deliver their services. They typically are located in a specific area however, they may be commissioned to provide national services.
The absence of resources is a major issue. There are concerns over the quality of care and the shortage of nurses and psychiatrists. The NHS is trying to improve the quality of care by providing more training and introducing new methods of working. It also introduces more secure and efficient ways to help people in crisis. This includes mobile crisis teams and secure space.
Supporting you
Since the NHS was launched 70 years ago, there have been positive changes for people suffering from mental health issues. Treatment options have expanded and social barriers are being taken down. However, there is still much to be done.
People who are suffering from mental health problems must be able to access the assistance they require quickly and easily. The NHS is working to improve services so that people in need receive assistance. We will ensure that every acute hospital does not have 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 expand services for people who require them in the community, including therapy for talking, which will give hundreds of thousands more people suffering from severe or common mental health conditions the support they require. We will continue to work on the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme so that more people can be treated by trained therapists faster.
The NHS provides free, confidential helplines for anyone struggling with a mental health issue. They include the Samaritans, Mind and Rethink. These helplines are run by trained volunteers. They offer a safe space to talk or provide information and advice on how to manage your mental health issues.
In addition, there are a number of local organizations that can provide support and guidance to those with mental health issues. These include self-help guides, coping strategies and activities to try. Many of these organizations offer face-toface support groups to those who prefer it.
For students, there is the University's Open Door Team which offers a drop-in counselling service for those who are feeling low or stressed. There's also the Nightline student counselling service that offers confidential listening and support from experienced volunteers, or details on other services. Charities such as Mind and Rethink are a great source of information and can provide support in a variety of ways such as online and through local groups. They also offer a variety of courses and activities, from mindfulness to art groups which can be helpful for those living with mental health issues.
Referrals
Mental health services are under strain and GPs must make difficult choices regarding which specialist services they should refer their patients to. The GP will look at the medical history of the patient and refer them to services they believe can aid. mental health assessment report can refer a patient either to an NHS trust, or to an independent provider.
A mental health specialist will then assess the referral and decide if it's appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't happy with the referral they will contact the GP to discuss their decision and provide the reason. They may request the GP to modify the referral or ask for more details.
Referrals to the local Community Mental Health Team can be made via the NHS e-Referral Service. The system allows GPs as well as other healthcare professionals to refer patients to either a preliminary mental health clinical assessment or directly to an appointment with an outpatient. However not all CMHTs offer both options and the system isn't able to be used for every kind of mental health referral.
A doctor may also refer a patient to a mental health specialist in the community service (CMT). These are usually operated by a large local health organization or hospital. CMTs are a great option for those who want to see an experienced psychologist or psychiatrist, but don't require inpatient care. They also provide an early intervention program where a psychiatrist works with a therapist in order to help someone overcome any crisis or improve the quality of their life.
One of the major challenges that CMTs CMT is to ensure that all referrals are made within an appropriate time frame. Many referrals are deemed urgent, even if they may not be. This can lead people who aren't in crisis to be rushed and suffer delays.
To address this issue, some CMHTs are trying to establish more uniform guidelines for what constitutes an urgent referral. This was accomplished by using a standardised form that asks the referrer to indicate if the situation is urgent. The form includes a box that the referrer can tick in the event that they believe the referral is urgent.