Mental Health Services on the NHS
The NHS has responded to the increase in mental health issues by providing services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan reaffirmed its commitment to increase investment in mental health services faster than the overall NHS budget. This includes specialist work in suicide prevention.
Get help
One out of four people will be affected by a mental illness at some point during their lives. The good news is there are many ways to get help, and many of us will recover with time. It is crucial to know what help is available and who can provide it.
You can seek assistance from a variety of places, including your GP (primary care medical doctor) as well as your local health center or a community mental health team. These teams consist of occupational therapists, nurses psychotherapists, psychotherapists and speech and language therapists who work together with people who use the service. You can receive individual or group therapy depending on the kind of help you need.
You will be asked to fill out a form by your GP so they can refer you to a mental health team in the community. They will also ask you to specify what you require in terms of support. You will then be seen by someone from a mental health team, which may include a psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker. In some instances your evaluation and treatment will be performed by a clinical nurse specialist. You can call the NHS 111 helpline when you're in crisis. 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 outlined plans to create more multidisciplinary, place-based community mental health teams that have links to primary care networks. These teams will improve the quality of mental health care that is provided to those who are in a crisis, and offer support to patients in their own homes and communities instead of in hospitals.
The plan also aimed to provide crisis services to more people by reducing wait times and opening more beds. It also proposes an ambulance for mental health and ensure that all ambulances are outfitted with a mental liaison nurse in the control room to ensure that people experiencing a mental crisis are assisted in emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a range of treatment options for mental health problems. GPs are usually able to treat milder conditions, but more severe illnesses will require the assistance of a specialist team. These teams are spread across community and primary mental health services as well as the psychiatric hospitals. There are also safe places where you can get help if you are feeling in crisis.
Talking what is a mental health assessment for depression and anxiety are among the main types of treatment. These programs, formerly known 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 programs to 1.9 million people by 2023/2024.
Psychiatric medicines are also a vital element of treatment. They can alleviate symptoms by changing the way chemicals in your brain work. They can be used to lessen the negative effects of other treatments. Your doctor will prescribe the right medicine for you.
There are many different types of talking therapies, including individual therapy and group 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 decision. There are also a lot of charities which offer classes and support groups like Mind. The site is full of information that is trustworthy however, be aware of the fact that there are a lot of false or misleading statements that are posted on the internet regarding mental health issues.
While the NHS is improving its mental health care, it still struggles to cope with demand. There are 54 mental health trusts across the UK and the majority of they receive funding from clinical commissioning organizations to deliver their service. They are usually located in a particular region, but can be commissioned to deliver national services.
The absence of resources is a major issue. There are concerns about the quality and shortage 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 introduces more efficient and safer ways to help people in crisis. This includes mobile crisis teams, as well as safe spaces.
Supporting you
Since the NHS was first introduced 70 years ago, there are positive changes for those suffering from mental health issues. The treatment options have increased and social barriers have been broken down. But there is much more to be done.
People who are suffering from mental illness need to receive the help they require quickly and easily. This is why the NHS is putting in the effort to improve the quality of services for those who need them. We will ensure that no acute hospital does not have a mental health liaison in A&E departments and inpatient wards by 2020/21. 70 percent of these services will meet the "core 24" standard by 2023/24, working towards 100% coverage thereafter.
We will also increase services for people who need them in the community, which includes psychotherapy, in order to provide hundreds of thousands of people suffering from severe or common mental health conditions the support they require. We will continue to develop our national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies program (IAPT), so that more people with mental health issues are seen faster by therapists who are qualified.
The NHS offers free, confidential helplines for anyone who is struggling with a mental health issue. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines that are available. These helplines are run by trained volunteers and provide the opportunity to talk with someone in a secure environment or provide advice and information on how to manage your mental health issues.
There are also a number local organizations that provide support and guidance to people with mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping techniques and other activities are available. Many of these organizations also offer support groups that meet face-to-face for those who would prefer this type of support.
The University's Open Door Team offers a drop-in counseling service for students who are feeling down or stressed. There's also the Nightline student counselling service which provides confidential listening and support from knowledgeable volunteers, or details on other services. Charities like Mind and Rethink are a great source of information and can offer support in many forms such as online and through local groups. They also offer many classes and activities, from mindfulness to art groups that could be beneficial for those living with mental health issues.
Referrals
With mental health services under pressure, GPs have to make difficult decisions regarding the services they will refer patients to. The doctor will take the patient's medical history into consideration and then refer them to a specialist they think could be able to assist. They may send a referral either to an NHS trust, or to 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 will call the GP to discuss their decision and provide why. They can also ask the GP for more details or to alter the referral.
Requests for a local Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) can be made through the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS). The system allows doctors and other healthcare professionals to direct patients to a preliminary assessment for mental health or directly to an appointment. However there are some exceptions. CMHTs provide both options, and the system isn't able to be used for every kind of mental health referral.
A GP can also refer a patient to a mental health specialist in the community service (CMT). They are typically run by a major local healthcare organization or a hospital. CMTs are a good choice for those who have to visit a psychologist or psychiatrist but do not require inpatient treatment. They can also provide an early intervention program, where a psychiatrist collaborates with the psychotherapist to help a patient overcome a crisis or increase their life quality.
One of the major challenges that CMTs CMT is to ensure that all referrals are allocated within the proper time frame. Many referrals are deemed urgent even though they may not be. This can cause people who aren't experiencing a crisis to be rushed and suffer delays.
To tackle this issue, some CMHTs are trying to establish more consistent standards for what is considered an urgent referral. This has been achieved by using a standardised referral proforma that requires a referrer to consider whether the case is urgent. The proforma has a box that the referrer can tick when the request is urgent.