Mental Health Services on the NHS
There has been a huge increase in people seeking treatment for mental health issues and the NHS has responded by offering services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan has made an unrepeatable commitment to increase the amount of money spent on mental health services quicker than the NHS budget overall. This includes the work of a specialist in suicide prevention.
Getting help
One out of four of us will suffer from a mental health problem at some moment in our lives. The good news is that there are a variety of different options to seek help, and most people recover after a while. It is important to know what help is available and who can provide it.
You can seek help from your physician, your local health center or a mental health service in your local area. These teams comprise of occupational and nurse psychotherapists, as well as speech therapists. They collaborate with clients who seek their services. Based on the type of assistance you require you might be provided with individual or group therapy.
Your GP will typically request you to fill out a form to send you a referral to a community mental health team. They will also talk with you about the kind of help you need. You will be consulted by members of an interdisciplinary team of mental health professionals like a psychologist, psychiatrist or social worker. In some instances, a clinical nurse specialist will carry out your assessment and treatment. If you're experiencing a crisis, you can call the NHS 111 helpline for urgent assistance. If you already receive support for your mental health it is recommended to contact your primary team first, unless it is outside of hours, or on a weekend, or a bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health outlined plans to create more place-based, multidisciplinary community mental health teams with links to primary care networks. These plans will aid in improving the quality of the care provided to those experiencing a mental health crisis and provide support within their communities and homes, rather than in hospital.
The plan also aimed to provide crisis services to more people by reducing waiting times and opening more beds. It also proposes a mental transport vehicle and ensure that all ambulances are stocked with a mental liaison nurse within the control room to improve how people experiencing a mental crisis are supported during emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a range of treatment options to treat mental health issues. GPs are usually able to treat milder disorders, but more serious conditions will require the assistance of a specialist team. These teams are spread across primary and community mental health services as well as mental health hospitals. You can also seek help in a secure space should you be in a state of crisis.
Talking therapies for depression and anxiety are among the main kinds of treatment. These programs, previously referred to as IAPT (Interactive Assessment and Psychotherapy), have seen their numbers of clients increase each year since they launched in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan has committed to expanding these services to 1.9 million people by 2023/2024.
The use of psychiatric medication is also a vital part of treatment. They can improve symptoms by changing the way the brain's chemicals work. They can also help ease side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will prescribe the appropriate medicine for you.
There are a variety of talking therapies, including group therapy and individual therapy. Some of these are delivered in person, while others can be delivered via a remote device. Some patients prefer receiving treatment in person, but that is a personal preference. There are a variety of charities that offer support groups and classes like Mind. Their website contains a wealth of information that is reliable, however you should be aware of the fact that there's a lot of false or misleading information available on the internet regarding mental health issues.
The NHS is advancing the mental health system, but it struggles to meet the demand. There are 54 mental health trusts across the UK, and most of are funded by clinical commissioning organizations to deliver their services. They are typically located in a specific region however, they are also able to be commissioned to provide national services.
The shortage of resources is a major problem. There are concerns over the quality and availability of psychiatrists and nurses. The NHS is working to improve the quality of care by providing more training and introducing new ways of working. It also offers more efficient and safer methods to treat people in crisis. This includes mobile crisis teams, as well as safe space.
We are here to help you
Since the NHS was launched 70 years ago, there are positive changes for those suffering from mental health issues. Treatment options have expanded and social barriers are being broken down. But there's still a lot to be done.
People who are suffering from a mental health crisis must be able to access the help they need quickly and easily. The NHS is striving to improve the quality of services so that people in need receive them. By 2020/21 we will ensure that all acute hospitals have a mental-health liaison service that is available in A&E and on wards for inpatients and that 70% of them will meet the core 24 standard by 2023/24. Then we will work towards 100% coverage.
We will also expand community services, including talking therapy, to provide assistance to hundreds of thousands of individuals suffering from mental health conditions, whether they are serious or common. We will continue to develop our national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme (IAPT) to ensure that more people suffering from mental health issues can be seen quicker by qualified therapists.
The NHS offers confidential, free helplines to those suffering from mental health issues. what is mental health assessment include the Samaritans and Mind and Rethink. These helplines are operated entirely by volunteers who provide the opportunity to talk in a secure environment or offer advice and guidance on how to deal your mental health concerns.
Additionally, there are a number of local organizations that can provide assistance and support for those with mental health issues. These include self-help guides, strategies for coping and activities to try. Many of these organisations also provide support groups in person for those who prefer this method.
The University's Open Door Team offers a drop-in counseling service for students struggling or stressed. There's also the Nightline student counselling service, which provides confidential listening and support from knowledgeable volunteers, or information about other services. Charities such as 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 offer a variety of classes and activities, from mindfulness to art classes, which are useful for people with mental health issues.
Making a referral
With mental health services under pressure, GPs have to make difficult decisions about what specialist services they should refer patients to. The doctor will take into consideration the medical history of the patient and refer them to services they believe will be able to aid. They might send a referral 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 mental illness assessment isn't satisfied with the referral, they'll call the GP to discuss their decision and explain why. They may request the GP to alter the referral or request more details.
The referral to a local Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) can be made through the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS). The system permits GPs and other healthcare professionals to refer patients to either a preliminary mental health assessment or directly to an outpatient 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 decide to refer a patient to an expert community mental health service (CMT). These are usually operated by a large local healthcare organisation or hospital. CMTs can be a good option for people who wish to consult a qualified psychologist or psychiatrist, but don't need inpatient treatment. They can also provide an early intervention service, where a psychiatrist works with an psychotherapist to help a patient overcome a crisis or increase their life quality.
CMTs are faced with the task of making sure that all referrals are received within a reasonable time. One of the challenges is that a large number of referrals are considered urgent, even though they may not be. This can lead to delays and over-working for people who aren't in a crisis.
To address this issue, some CMHTs are trying to establish more consistent guidelines for what is considered an urgent referral. This was accomplished by using a standardised form which asks the referrer to indicate if the case is urgent. The proforma includes a box that the referrer can tick when they believe that the referral is urgent.