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 health services more quickly than the overall NHS budget. This includes specialist suicide prevention work.
Need help?
One in four people will suffer from a mental illness at some point during their lives. The good news is that there are many different ways to seek help and most of us recover with time. It's important to understand what assistance is available and who can provide it.
You can seek assistance from your doctor, your local health center or a mental health team in your local area. These teams comprise of occupational and nurse psychotherapists and speech therapists. They work with the clients who seek their services. Depending on the type of assistance you require, you may be offered individual or group therapy.
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 ask what type of assistance you require. You will be seen by an individual from the mental team, such as psychologist, psychiatrist or social worker. In some cases, your assessment and treatment will be carried out by a specialist in clinical nursing. You can contact the NHS 111 helpline if you are in a crisis. If you are already receiving mental health services It is recommended to call your usual team first, unless it's out of hours, on a weekend or a bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health detailed plans to create multidisciplinary mental health teams in the community that are linked to primary care networks. These teams will improve the quality of the care that is provided to those who are in a crisis, and will provide assistance to them in their own homes and communities rather than in hospitals.
The plan also aimed to provide crisis services to more people by reducing waiting times and allowing more beds. It also proposes the introduction of mental health transport vehicles and make sure that every ambulance has an official who is a mental health liaison in their control rooms to ensure that people who are having a mental health crisis are assisted in emergencies.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a variety of treatment options to treat mental health problems. GPs typically have the ability to treat milder conditions, but more severe issues will require an expert team. These teams operate across both community and primary mental health services and also psychiatric hospitals. You can also seek assistance in a safe space if you feel in crisis.
Talking treatments for anxiety and depression are among the main treatments. Formerly known as IAPT, these programs have seen referral numbers increase each year since their launch in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan has committed to expanding these services to 1.9 million people by 2023/2024.
Psychiatric medicines are also an important element of treatment. They can alleviate symptoms by changing the way chemicals in your brain work. They can also be used to lessen the negative effects of other treatments. Your doctor will suggest the right medication for you.
A wide range of talking therapy options are available including group therapy and individual therapy. online mental health assessment of these are delivered in person, whereas others are available via a remote device. Some patients prefer to receive treatment in person, but that is a personal preference. Mind is one of many charities that offer support groups and courses. The site is full of reliable information however, be aware of the fact that there are numerous false or misleading statements 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. In the UK there are 54 mental trusts. They receive the majority of funding for their services from the clinical commissioning groups. They are usually located in a specific region however, they can also be commissioned to deliver national services.
The lack of resources is a major problem. There are also concerns about the quality of care, and a shortage of nurses and psychiatrists. The NHS is working to improve the quality of care by delivering more training and introducing new methods of working. It also provides more secure and efficient methods to treat people who are in crisis. This includes mobile crisis teams, as well as safe spaces.
Helping you
Since the NHS was established 70 years ago, there have been positive developments for those with mental health issues. The treatment options have gotten better and social barriers have been taken down. But there is still more to be done.
People who are suffering from a mental crisis need to receive the help they require quickly and easily. The NHS is working to improve its services to ensure that those in need are able to access assistance. We will ensure that no acute hospital is without a mental health liaison in A&E departments and wards for patients by 2020/21. 70% of these services will meet the 'core 24' standard by 2023/24. We will work towards achieving 100% coverage afterward.
We will also increase 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 issues the help they need. We will continue to work on our national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme (IAPT) to ensure that more people suffering from mental health problems can be seen quicker by therapists who are qualified.
The NHS offers free, confidential helplines to anyone struggling with a mental health issue. They include the Samaritans, Mind and Rethink. These helplines are operated by trained volunteers. They provide an environment where you can talk in a safe manner or provide guidance and information on how to tackle your mental health concerns.
In addition there are a variety of local organizations that offer support and guidance for those with mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping techniques and activities can be included. Many of these organizations also offer face-to-face support groups for those who prefer this method.
For students, there is the University's Open Door Team which offers a drop-in counselling service for those who feel low or stressed. There's also the Nightline student counselling service which provides confidential listening and support from experienced volunteers, as well as information about other services. Charities like Mind and Rethink are a great source of information and provide support in various forms, including online and through local groups. They also provide many courses and activities, from mindfulness to art classes that could be beneficial for people who suffer from mental health issues.
Referrals
Mental health services are under pressure and GPs must make difficult choices about the best specialist services to refer their patients to. The GP will take a patient's medical history into account and then refer them to a specialist they believe will be able to help. They may refer a patient to an NHS trust or an independent service.
A mental health professional will then assess the referral and decide if it's 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 could also ask the GP to modify the referral or ask for more information.
Referrals to a local Community Mental Health Team can be made using the NHS e-Referral Service. The system allows doctors and other healthcare professionals to send patients to either a preliminary clinical assessment service for mental health or directly to an appointment. Not all CMHTs offer both options and the system is not able to be used for all kinds of mental health referrals.
A GP may also refer patients to a community mental health specialist service (CMT). These are usually operated by a large local health organization or a hospital. CMTs are a great option for those who want to consult with a seasoned psychologist or psychiatrist, but don't need inpatient treatment. They also provide an early intervention service where psychiatrists collaborate with psychotherapist to assist a person overcome any crisis or improve the quality of their lives.
One of the major challenges that CMTs CMT is to ensure that all appropriate referrals are made within an appropriate time frame. Many referrals are considered urgent, even if they may not be. This can cause patients who aren't in crisis to be rushed and suffer delays.
To address this issue, some CMHTs are trying to establish more consistent guidelines for what constitutes an urgent referral. This was achieved by using a standardised form which asks the referrer if the situation is urgent. The form has a checkbox for the referrer to tick in the event that they believe the referral is urgent.