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 providing services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan has made an unrepeatable commitment to increase investment in mental health services faster than the NHS budget in general. This includes specialist work in suicide prevention.
Need help?
One out of four of us will experience a mental health problem at some time in our lives. The good news is that there are plenty of different ways to seek help, and most people recover with time. It is essential to know what help is available, and who is able to provide it.
You can get help from your GP or your local health center or a mental health service in your local area. These teams consist of nurses, occupational therapists psychotherapists, psychotherapists, and speech and language therapists who work with the people who utilize the service. You may receive individual or group therapy depending on the type of assistance you need.
You will be asked to fill out a form by your GP so that they can refer you to a mental health professional in the community. They will also speak to you about what kind of help you require. You will be consulted by a member of the mental team, such as psychologist, psychiatrist or social worker. In some instances your evaluation and treatment will be conducted by a nurse specialist. If you're in crisis, call the NHS 111 helpline for immediate support. If you are already receiving mental health services It is recommended to contact your regular team first, unless out of office hours, on a weekend or a bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health detailed plans to establish multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals in the community which are connected to primary care networks. These teams will enhance the quality of the care provided to those in crisis, and provide support to patients in their homes and community instead of in hospitals.
The plan also aimed at make crisis services more accessible by reducing waiting times and opening more beds. It also proposes the mental transport vehicle and ensure that all ambulances are equipped with an individual who is a mental liaison nurse in the control room to make sure that patients who are suffering from mental illness are assisted in emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a variety of treatment options to treat mental health conditions. GPs are often able to treat less severe conditions, but more severe conditions will require the assistance of a specialist team. These teams operate in community and primary mental healthcare services as well as psychiatric hospitals. You can also seek assistance in a secure space when you are in a crisis.
Talking therapies are one of the most commonly used forms of treatment for anxiety and depression. These programs, formerly known as IAPT (Interactive Assessment and Psychotherapy), have seen their number of referrals increase every year since they were introduced in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan has committed to expanding these services to 1.9 million people by 2023/2024.
Psychiatric medications are also an important element of treatment. They can alleviate symptoms by changing the way the brain's chemicals work. They can also be used to ease side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will recommend the best medication for you.
A wide variety of talking therapy options are offered which include group therapy as well as individual therapy. Some of them are offered in person, whereas others can be done online. Some patients prefer face-to-face treatment, but it is the choice of the patient. There are a variety of charities that offer support groups and classes, such as Mind. The site is full of information that is trustworthy but you should be aware of the fact that there are many false or misleading statements on the internet regarding mental health issues.
While the NHS is working to improve its mental health services, it still struggles to keep up with demand. 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 particular region however, they may be contracted to provide national services.
The main issue is the lack of resources to meet the growing demand. There are also concerns about the quality of care, and the 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 is also introducing more secure and efficient methods to treat people in crisis including mobile crisis teams and secure places.
Helping you
Since the NHS was established 70 years ago there have been numerous positive changes for people with mental health problems. Treatment options have increased and social barriers are breaking down. But there is much more to be done.
People who are suffering from mental health issues need to be able to get the help they need quickly and easily. That's why the NHS is putting in the effort to improve services for people who need these services. By 2020/21 we will ensure that all acute hospitals have a mental health liaison service that is available in A&E as well as on wards for patients and that 70% of them will meet the standard of 24 by 2023/24. We will then strive for 100% coverage.
We will also enhance community services, including talking therapy, in order to provide support for hundreds of thousands of individuals suffering from mental health issues, whether they are serious or common. We will continue to develop the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme so that more people are treated by trained therapists quicker.
The NHS offers confidential, no-cost assistance to anyone suffering from mental health issues. These include the Samaritans, Mind and Rethink. These helplines are run by trained volunteers and provide an environment where you can talk in a safe manner, or offer information and advice on how to deal with your mental health concerns.
There are also local organisations that can provide support and guidance to people with mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping strategies and other activities are available. Many of these organizations offer face-toface support groups for those who prefer it.
For students, there's the University's Open Door Team which offers the opportunity to visit a counselling center for those who are feeling depressed or stressed. Nightline is a student counseling service that offers confidential listening, support and information from knowledgeable volunteers. Charities like Mind and Rethink are a excellent source of information and can offer support in many forms, including online and through local groups. They can provide a variety of activities and courses ranging from mindfulness to art classes that can be beneficial for those suffering from mental health issues.
Referring someone to you
With mental health services under pressure, GPs have to make difficult choices about the services they will refer patients to. The doctor will take a patient's medical history into account and then refer them to a service they think will be able to help. They might send a referral to an NHS trust or an independent provider.
A mental health specialist will assess the referral to determine if it's appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't pleased with the referral, they'll call the GP to discuss their decision and explain the reasons. They may also ask the GP to alter the referral or request additional information.
about his to refer patients to a local Community Mental Health Team can be made using the NHS e-Referral Service. The system allows GPs and other healthcare professionals to refer people to either a preliminary mental health assessment or directly to an appointment with an outpatient. However, not all 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 community mental health specialist service (CMT). They are typically operated by a large local healthcare organisation or hospital. CMTs are a great alternative for those looking to consult a qualified psychologist or psychiatrist, but don't need inpatient treatment. They can also offer an early intervention service where a psychiatrist works with a psychotherapist to assist a person overcome a crisis or improve the quality of their lives.
CMTs are faced with the task of making sure that all referrals are made within a reasonable amount of time. One of the issues is that a lot of referrals are deemed as urgent, even though they may not be. This can lead to over-working and delays for people who aren't in a crisis.
To address this issue, some CMHTs are trying to establish more consistent standards for what is considered an urgent referral. This was accomplished by using a standardised form which asks the referrer if the situation is urgent. The form includes a box that the referrer can tick if the referral is urgent.