Mental Health Services on the NHS
The NHS has responded to the rising number of mental health problems by offering services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan reaffirmed its commitment to boost investment in mental health services more quickly than the overall NHS budget. This includes special suicide prevention services.
Need help?
One in four of us will experience mental health issues at some point in our lives. The good news is that there are plenty of different ways to get assistance and the majority of us recover over time. But it's important to know what assistance is available, and who can provide it.
You can seek help from a variety of places such as your GP (primary medical doctor who treats patients) or your local health centre or a community mental health team. These teams comprise of occupational and nurse speech therapists, and psychotherapists. They collaborate with people who use their services. Based on the kind of help you need, you may be offered individual or group therapy.
You will be asked to fill out a form from your GP so they can refer you to a mental health professional in the community. They will also talk with you about what kind of help you require. You will be seen by an individual from a mental team like psychologist, psychiatrist or social worker. In some instances the assessment and treatment will be conducted by a clinical nurse specialist. If you are experiencing crisis, contact the NHS 111 helpline for urgent assistance. If you already receive mental health services 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 outlined plans to create more multidisciplinary, place-based community mental health teams with links to primary care networks. They will improve the quality of care that is delivered to people who are experiencing an illness of mental health and offer support within their communities and homes, rather than in hospital.
The plan also aims to make emergency services available by reducing wait times and opening up more beds. It also proposes the mental transport vehicle and ensure that all ambulances are equipped with a mental liaison nurse in the control room to make sure that patients who are suffering from mental illness are helped in times of crisis.
Treatment options
The NHS provides a wide range of treatment options for people suffering from mental health problems. The less severe disorders are typically treated by GPs, while more serious conditions require a specialist 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 for depression and anxiety are one of the main treatments. These programs, previously referred to as IAPT (Interactive Assessment and Psychotherapy) have seen their referral numbers increase each year since they were first introduced in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan has committed to expanding these services to 1.9 million people by 2023/2024.
Psychiatric drugs are a different aspect of treatment. They can improve symptoms through changing the way chemicals work in your brain. They can also help alleviate the side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will suggest a medicine that is right for you.
A variety of talk therapy treatments are available which include group therapy as well as individual therapy. Some of these treatments are delivered in-person, while others can be done remotely. Some patients prefer receiving treatment in person, but this is a personal preference. There are a variety of charities that provide support groups and courses like Mind. Their website contains a wealth of reliable information, but you must be aware that there is plenty of inaccurate or misleading information available on the internet regarding mental health issues.
While the NHS is working to improve its mental health care, it still struggles to meet the demands. There are 54 mental health trusts across the UK and the majority of they receive funding from clinical commissioning groups to provide their service. They usually are located in a specific area however, they may be contracted to provide national services.
One of the main issues is the lack of resources to meet rising demand. There are concerns about the quality and shortage of nurses and psychiatrists. The NHS is trying to improve the quality of care by introducing new methods of work and providing more training. It is also introducing safer and more effective ways to treat people in crisis like mobile crisis teams and safe places.
Helping you
Since the NHS was established 70 years ago, there have been many positive developments for those suffering from mental health problems. The options for treatment have grown and social barriers have been smashed down. However, there is much to be done.
People experiencing a mental health crisis need to be able to get the help they need quickly and easily. That's why the NHS is striving to improve the quality of services for those who require these services. We will ensure that no acute hospital does not have a mental health liaison service in A&E departments and inpatient wards by 2020/21, and that 70 percent of these services will meet the 'core 24' standard by 2023/24, working towards 100% coverage thereafter.
We will also expand services for the community, such as talking therapy, to provide support for hundreds of thousands of individuals suffering from mental health conditions, whether they are serious or common. initial mental health assessment will continue to develop the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) program to ensure that more people are treated by trained therapists quicker.
The NHS offers 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 volunteers who offer an environment where you can talk to someone in a safe manner or offer advice and guidance on how to deal your mental health issues.
There are a variety of local organizations that provide support and guidance to people suffering from mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping methods and activities can be included. Many of these organisations also offer support groups that meet face-to-face for those who prefer this method.
For students, there is the University's Open Door Team which offers the opportunity to visit a counselling center for those feeling depressed or stressed. There's also the Nightline student counselling service which offers confidential listening and support from knowledgeable volunteers, as well as information on other services. Charities like Mind and Rethink are a great source of information. They can provide support in a variety of ways such as online and through local groups. They can provide a variety of classes and activities, from mindfulness to art classes that are beneficial for those with mental health issues.
Making a referral
Mental health services are under pressure and GPs are forced to make difficult choices regarding the best specialist services to refer their patients to. The GP will consider the medical history of the patient and refer them to services they believe will be able assist. They can send a referral to an NHS trust or an independent provider.
A mental health specialist will then assess the referral and decide whether it's appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't pleased with the referral, they'll call the GP to discuss their decision and explain why. They might request the GP to change the referral or request more details.
Requests for a local Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) can be made through the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS). The system allows GPs and other healthcare professionals to refer people to either a preliminary mental health clinical assessment or directly to an outpatient appointment. Not all CMHTs offer both options, and the system is not able to be used for all types of mental health referrals.
A doctor may also refer a patient to a mental health specialist in the community service (CMT). They are usually managed by a large hospital or local health care organization. CMTs are a good choice for those who require to consult a psychologist or psychiatrist but do not require inpatient care. They can also provide an early intervention service, where a psychiatrist will work with an therapist to help a person overcome a crisis or increase their quality of life.
CMTs are faced with the task of ensuring that all referrals are made within a reasonable time. One of the challenges is that a large number of referrals are deemed urgent, even though they might not be. This can cause patients who aren't experiencing a crisis to be overwhelmed and suffer delays.
To address this issue certain CMHTs are working to establish more uniform standards for what is an urgent referral. This was achieved by using an established form that asks the referrer if the case is urgent. The form has a checkbox for the referrer to tick in the event that they believe that the referral is urgent.