Mental Health Services on the NHS
The NHS has responded to the increase in mental health problems 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 special suicide prevention services.
Need help?
One of four people will be affected by mental illness at some time in their lives. The good news is that there are a variety of ways to seek help, and many of us will recover over time. But it's important to know what help is available and who is able to provide it.
You can seek help from your doctor or the local health center or mental health team within your area. These teams consist of nurses, occupational and psychotherapists and speech therapists. They work with the patients who require their services. Depending on the type of help you need, you may be offered individual or group therapy.
You will be asked to fill out a form by your GP so that they can refer you to a mental health team in the community. They will also speak to you about what kind of assistance you require. You will be consulted by a member of an interdisciplinary team of mental health professionals like a psychologist, psychiatrist or social worker. In some cases, a clinical nurse specialist will perform your assessment and treatment. You can call the NHS 111 helpline if you are in an emergency. If you're already supported by mental health services it's a good idea contact your regular team first unless it's out of normal hours, on a weekend or a bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health detailed plans to establish multidisciplinary, community-based mental health teams that are connected to primary care networks. These teams will enhance the quality of the mental health services provided to those in crisis, and provide support to those in their own homes and communities rather than in hospitals.
The plan also aimed at provide crisis services to more people by reducing waiting times and allowing more beds. It would also introduce 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 those who are experiencing mental distress are helped in times of crisis.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a variety of treatment options for mental health conditions. Disorders that are less severe are usually treated by GPs and more serious conditions require a specialist team. what is a mental health assessment are located in primary and community healthcare facilities as well as psychiatric hospitals. There are also safe spaces where you can seek help when you're in a state of crisis.
Talking therapies are one of the most commonly used forms of treatment for anxiety and depression. These programs, previously referred to as IAPT (Interactive Assessment and Psychotherapy), have seen their numbers of clients increase each year since they introduced in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan commits to expanding these programs to ensure that 1.9 million people will be able to access them by 2023/2024.
Psychiatric medications are another crucial part of treatment. They can help alleviate symptoms by altering the way the brain's chemicals work. They can be used to lessen the negative effects of other treatments. Your doctor will prescribe the appropriate medicine for you.
There are a variety of talk therapy, including individual therapy and group therapy. Some of these can be delivered in person, while others can be delivered via a remote device. Some patients prefer to receive treatment in person, but this is a personal preference. There are also a lot of charities which offer support groups and courses, such as Mind. The site contains a wealth of information that is reliable however, be aware of the fact that there are numerous false or misleading statements that are posted on the internet about mental health issues.
The NHS is working to improve the quality of mental health care, but it's struggling to meet the demands. In the UK, there are 54 mental trusts. The majority of them receive funding for their services from clinical commissioning groups. They are usually located in a specific region, but can be commissioned to deliver national services.
The lack of resources is a major problem. There are concerns over the quality and shortage of psychiatrists and nurses. The NHS is trying to improve the quality of care by introducing new methods of work and delivering more training. It also introduces more secure and efficient methods to assist people in need including mobile crisis teams and safe areas.
We are here to help you
Since the NHS was launched 70 years ago, there have been positive developments for those with mental health issues. Treatment options have gotten more diverse and social barriers are being broken down. But there's still a lot to do.
People who are suffering from mental health issues require the ability to get the assistance they require quickly and easily. The NHS is working to improve services to ensure that those who need them are able to access help. 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. Then we will work towards 100 percent coverage.
We will also enhance community services, including talk therapy, to offer assistance to hundreds of thousands of people suffering from mental health issues, whether they are serious or common. We will continue to work on the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme so that more people are visited by therapists who are qualified, quicker.
The NHS offers confidential, no-cost helplines to anyone struggling with mental health issues. These include the Samaritans and Mind and Rethink. These helplines are run entirely by volunteers who provide an environment where you can talk to someone in a safe manner or provide advice and information on how to deal your mental health concerns.
Additionally, there are a number of local organizations that can offer support and guidance for people with mental health problems. These include self-help guides, coping strategies and activities to try. Many of these organizations also provide support groups in person for those who prefer this method.
For students, there's the University's Open Door Team which offers a drop-in counselling service for those who are feeling low or stressed. Nightline is a student counseling service that offers confidential listening assistance, information and support from experienced volunteers. Charities such as Mind and Rethink can provide many sources of information and support both online and in local groups. They can provide a variety of activities and courses ranging including mindfulness classes to art classes, which are beneficial for those with mental health issues.
Referrals
With mental health services under pressure, doctors are forced to make difficult decisions about which specialist services they can refer patients to. The doctor will take into consideration the medical history of the patient and refer them to services they believe can help. They may send a referral to an NHS trust, or to an independent provider.
A mental health specialist will review the referral to determine if it is appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't happy with the referral they will contact the GP to discuss their decision and explain the reason. They may also ask the GP to provide more information or to modify the referral.
Referrals to a local Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) may be made via the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS). The system allows GPs as well as other health professionals to refer people to either a preliminary mental health clinical assessment service or directly to an appointment with an outpatient. Not all CMHTs offer both options and the system is not able to be used for all types of mental health referrals.
A GP can also refer patients to a community mental health specialist service (CMT). They are usually managed by an extensive hospital or a local health care organization. CMTs can be a good option for people who wish to consult with a seasoned psychologist or psychiatrist, but don't require inpatient care. They can also provide an early intervention service, where a psychiatrist collaborates with the psychotherapist to help a patient overcome a crisis or increase their life quality.
CMTs face the challenge of ensuring that all referrals are received within a reasonable time. Many referrals are deemed urgent, even though they might not be. This can result in delays and over-working for people who aren't in need.
To address this issue, certain CMHTs are working to establish more uniform standards for what constitutes an urgent referral. This has been accomplished through the use of an established referral form that requires the referrer to consider whether the case is urgent. The form includes a box that the referrer is able to tick to indicate if the request is urgent.