Mental Health Services on the NHS
There has been an enormous rise in people seeking help for mental health issues, and the NHS has responded by offering services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan has made the commitment to increase the amount of money spent on mental health services faster than the NHS budget overall. This includes specialist work in suicide prevention.
Helping yourself
One in four of us will have mental health issues at some point in our lives. The good news is that there are many avenues to seek assistance, and the majority of us will be able to recover over time. However, it is important to know what help is available, and who can provide it.
You can seek assistance from your doctor, your local health center or a mental health team within your local area. These teams are made up of occupational therapists, nurses psychotherapists, psychotherapists, and speech and language therapists who work with the people who utilize the service. 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 professional in the community. They will also talk to you about the kind of help you need. You will be consulted by a member of a mental team which includes a psychologist, psychiatrist or social worker. In certain instances a clinical nurse specialist will conduct your assessment and treatment. You can call the NHS 111 helpline when you're in crisis. If you're already supported by mental health services it's best to call your usual team first, unless it's outside of normal hours, on a weekend or a bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health included plans to establish more multidisciplinary, place-based community mental health teams that have links to primary care networks. They will improve the quality of the care given to those suffering from an illness of mental health and offer support within their communities and homes instead of in hospitals.
The plan aims to make crisis services more accessible by decreasing 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 ensure that those who are experiencing mental distress are helped in times of crisis.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a variety of treatment options to treat mental health conditions. GPs are often able to treat minor conditions, but more severe issues will require the assistance of a specialist team. These teams are spread across community and primary mental health services, as well as psychiatric hospitals. There are also safe places where you can seek help for those who are in a crisis.
Talking therapies are one of the most commonly used forms of treatment for depression and anxiety. Formerly known as IAPT These programs have seen referral numbers increase every year since their introduction in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan has committed to expanding these programs to 1.9 million people by 2023/2024.
Psychiatric medications are another crucial part of treatment. They can help alleviate symptoms by altering the way chemicals work in your brain. They can also help minimize the adverse effects of other treatments. Your doctor will recommend the right medication for you.
A wide variety of talking therapy treatments are available which include group therapy as well as individual therapy. Some of these therapies are delivered in person, while others are available via remote access. Some patients prefer face-to-face treatment, but it's an individual choice. Mind is one of many charities that provide support groups and courses. The website contains a wealth of information that is trustworthy, but be aware that there are numerous false or misleading statements on the internet regarding mental health issues.
The NHS is improving 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 usually are located in a particular region however, they may be contracted to provide national services.
A key issue is the lack of resources to meet rising demand. There are also concerns over the quality of care, and a shortage of psychiatrists and nurses. The NHS is trying to improve the quality of care by offering more training and developing new ways of working. It also offers safer and more effective ways to help people who are in crisis. These include mobile crisis teams, as well as safe spaces.
We are here to help you
Since the NHS was launched 70 years ago, there have been many positive developments for people suffering from mental health issues. Treatment options have expanded and social barriers are being broken down. However, there is much to be done.
People who are suffering from mental illness need to get the help they need quickly and easily. That's why the NHS is working hard to improve services for people who need these services. We will ensure that no acute hospital is without a mental health liaison in A&E departments and inpatient wards by 2020/21. We will also ensure that 70% of these services will meet the "core 24" standard by 2023/24, working towards achieving 100% coverage afterward.
We will also expand services for people who need them in the community, including psychotherapy, in order to provide hundreds of thousands of people suffering from severe or common mental health issues the help they need. We will continue to work on the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme so that more people can be seen by qualified therapists, more quickly.
mental health assesment provides free, confidential helplines to anyone who is struggling with mental health issues. They include the Samaritans, Mind and Rethink. These helplines are run entirely by volunteers who offer the opportunity to talk in a secure environment or provide advice and information on how to deal your mental health issues.
Additionally there are a variety of local organizations that can offer support and guidance for people with mental health problems. They can provide self-help guides, coping strategies, and activities to try. A lot of these organizations offer support groups that meet face-to-face for those who prefer this method.
The University's Open Door Team offers a drop-in counseling service for students feeling down or stressed. There's also the Nightline student counselling service that provides confidential listening and support from skilled volunteers, or details about other services. Charities like 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 useful for people with mental health issues.
Referring someone to you
Mental health services are under pressure and GPs have to make difficult decisions about the best specialist services to refer their patients to. The GP will consider the patient's medical background and recommend them to services they believe will be able to help. They may send a referral to an NHS trust or an independent provider.
A mental health specialist will assess the referral to determine if the referral is appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't satisfied with the referral, they'll call the GP and explain their reasons. They may also request the GP to provide more information or to modify the referral.
The ability to refer patients to the local Community Mental Health Team can be made using the NHS e-Referral Service. The system allows doctors and other healthcare professionals to refer patients to either an initial clinical assessment service for mental health or directly to an appointment. Not all CMHTs offer both options, and the system cannot be used for all types of mental health referrals.
A GP can refer a patient to a mental health specialist in the community service (CMT). These are usually operated by a large local healthcare organisation or hospital. CMTs are a great option for those who require to visit a psychologist or psychiatrist, but do not require inpatient treatment. They can also provide an early intervention service in which psychiatrists collaborate with therapy therapist to help someone overcome an issue or improve the quality of their lives.
CMTs have the responsibility of ensuring that all referrals are made within a reasonable time. One of the problems is that a lot of referrals are deemed as urgent, despite the fact that they may not be. This can result in delays and over-working for those who aren't in a crisis.
To tackle this issue, some CMHTs have tried to establish more uniform guidelines for what constitutes an urgent referral. This was achieved by using an established form that asks the referrer if they believe the case is urgent. The proforma includes a box for the referrer to tick when they believe that the referral is urgent.