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 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 suicide prevention work.
Getting help
One in four of us will have mental health issues at some point in our lives. The good news is that there are many different ways to seek assistance and the majority of us recover with time. It is essential to know what assistance is available and who is able to provide it.
You can seek help from a variety of places such as your doctor (primary care medical doctor) as well as your local health centre or a community mental health team. These teams consist of nurses, occupational therapists, psychotherapists and speech and language therapists who work together with people who use the service. You can receive individual or group therapy based on the type of assistance you need.
Your doctor will typically request you to fill out a form so that they can send you a referral to a community mental health team. private ptsd assessment uk will also talk with you about the type of assistance you require. You will be seen by a member of the mental team like psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker. In some instances the clinical nurse specialist will perform your assessment and treatment. You can contact the NHS 111 helpline when you're in an emergency. If you are already receiving mental health support It is recommended to call your usual team first, unless it is out of office hours, on a weekend or a bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health set out plans to establish more place-based, multidisciplinary community mental health teams that have links to primary care networks. These teams will improve the quality of the care delivered to people experiencing a crisis, and offer support to those in their own homes and communities rather than in hospitals.
The plan also aimed to help make crisis services more accessible by reducing wait times and allowing more beds. It also proposes a mental transport vehicle and ensure that all ambulances are equipped with a mental liaison nurse in the control room to make sure that those who are experiencing mental distress are assisted in emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a variety of treatment options for mental health conditions. Less severe disorders are often treated by GPs and more serious conditions require specialists. These teams operate in community and primary healthcare facilities, as well psychiatric hospital. You can also seek assistance in a safe space should you be in a state of crisis.
Talking treatments for anxiety and depression are one of the main treatments. Previously known as IAPT, these programs have seen referrals increase every year since they were 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.
The use of psychiatric medication is also a crucial element of treatment. They can improve symptoms through altering the way chemicals work in your brain. They can also be used to reduce the side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will recommend the best medication for you.
There are many different types of talk therapy, including individual therapy and group therapy. Some of these are delivered in person, but others can be done via a remote device. Some patients prefer treatment in person, but this is a personal preference. There are a variety of charities which offer support groups and courses like Mind. The site contains a wealth of reliable information however, be aware of the fact that there are a lot of false or misleading claims on the internet concerning mental health issues.
While the NHS is improving its mental health services, it still struggles to meet the demands. In the UK, there are 54 mental trusts. Most of them receive funding for their services from clinical commissioning group. They are usually located in a specific area however, they may be commissioned to offer national services.
A key issue is the insufficient resources to meet rising demand. There are also concerns about the quality of care and there is a shortage of psychiatrists and nurses. The NHS is working to improve the quality of care by offering more training and introducing new ways of working. It also introduces safer and more effective ways to help people in crisis including mobile crisis teams, as well as safe places.
Helping you
Since the NHS was launched 70 years ago there have been positive developments for those suffering from mental health issues. The treatment options have gotten better and social barriers have been taken down. But there is more to be done.
People who are experiencing 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 who need them receive help. By 2020/21, we will make sure that all acute hospitals offer a mental health liaison service, both in A&E and on inpatient wards and that 70% of these will meet the core 24 standard by 2023/24. We will then work towards 100% coverage.
We will also increase services for people who need them in the community, including talking therapies, to give 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) program so that more people can be visited by therapists who are qualified, quicker.
The NHS provides free, confidential helplines for anyone suffering from a mental health issue. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines that are available. These helplines are operated by trained volunteers. They provide a safe space to talk or provide guidance and information on how to tackle your mental health issues.
There are a variety of local organizations that can offer assistance and support to those who suffer from mental health issues. These include self-help guides, coping strategies, and activities to try. Many of these organisations provide support groups in person to those who prefer it.
For students, there is the University's Open Door Team which offers the opportunity to visit a counselling center for those who feel depressed or stressed. There's also the Nightline student counselling service that offers confidential listening and support from skilled volunteers, or details about other services. Charities such as Mind and Rethink can provide an abundance of information and support, both on the internet and in local groups. They can offer a range of classes and activities, from mindfulness to art classes, which are beneficial for those with mental health issues.
Referrals
With mental health services under pressure, GPs are having to make difficult decisions regarding the services they will refer patients to. The doctor will take a patient's medical history into consideration and then refer them to a service they believe could be able to assist. They might send a referral to an NHS trust or an independent provider.
A mental health professional will then assess the referral and decide if it's appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't satisfied with the referral they will call the GP to discuss their decision and provide the reason. They may request the GP to modify the referral or request more information.
Referrals to a local Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) may be made via the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS). The system lets doctors and other healthcare professionals send patients to either a preliminary assessment 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 types of mental health referrals.
A doctor may decide to refer a person to a specialist community mental health service (CMT). They are typically run by a large hospital or local health care organization. CMTs are a good choice for those who have to see a psychiatrist or psychologist, but do not require inpatient care. They can also provide an early intervention service where a psychiatrist works with a counselor to help someone overcome a crisis or increase their life quality.
One of the major challenges that CMTs CMT is how to ensure that all suitable referrals are allocated within the appropriate timeframe. One of the problems is that a lot of referrals are deemed urgent, despite the fact that they may not be. This can cause patients who aren't in a crisis to be overwhelmed and suffer delays.
To tackle this issue, a few CMHTs have tried 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 decide if the situation is urgent. The proforma includes a box for the referrer to tick in the event that they believe that the referral is urgent.