Mental Health Services on the NHS
There has been a massive increase in people seeking help for mental health issues, and the NHS has responded by providing services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan has made a renewed commitment to grow the amount of money spent on mental health services more quickly than the NHS budget overall. This will include specialist work in suicide prevention.
Get help
One in four people will be affected by mental illness at some time in their lives. The good news is that there are a variety of different options to seek help and most of us recover with time. It is important to know what help is available and who can provide it.
You can seek assistance from a variety of places such as your doctor (primary medical doctor for primary care), your local health centre or a community mental health team. These teams are comprised of nurses, occupational and psychotherapists, as well as speech therapists. They work with the patients who require their services. You can get individual or group therapy, based on the kind of help you require.
Your GP will usually require you to fill out the form so that they can make a referral to a local mental health team. They will also ask you to specify what type of assistance you require. You will then be seen by someone from a mental health team that could include a psychiatrist, social worker or psychologist. In certain instances the clinical nurse specialist will conduct your assessment and treatment. You can call the NHS 111 helpline when you're in an emergency. If you already receive mental health support, it is best to call your usual team first, unless it is out of hours, on a weekend or bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health detailed plans to establish multidisciplinary mental health teams in the community which are connected to primary care networks. These plans will aid in improving the quality of care that is provided to those suffering from a mental health crisis and offer support within their communities and homes, rather than in hospital.
The plan also aims to make emergency services available by decreasing wait times and opening up more beds. It would also introduce mental health transport vehicles, and ensure that every ambulance has an official who is a mental health liaison in their control rooms to ensure that those suffering from an illness of mental health are assisted in emergencies.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a variety of treatment options for mental health conditions. GPs typically have the ability to treat less severe illnesses, however more serious conditions will require a specialist team. These teams operate in primary and community health services for mental health and psychiatric hospitals. There are also safe spaces where you can seek assistance for those who are in a state of crisis.
Talking therapies are among the most commonly used forms of treatment for anxiety and depression. Previously referred to as how can i get a mental health assessment have seen referral numbers increase every year since their launch in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan commits to expanding these programs so that 1.9 million people will be able to access them by 2023/2024.
Psychiatric drugs are a different aspect of treatment. They can help alleviate symptoms by changing the way the brain's chemicals function. They can also help minimize the adverse effects of other treatments. Your doctor will recommend a medicine that is right for you.
There are many kinds of talking therapies, including individual therapy and group therapy. Some of these therapies can be delivered in-person, while others are available via remote access. Some patients prefer receiving treatment in person, but this is a personal choice. Mind is one of many charities that provide support groups and courses. Their website has a lot of reliable information, but you should be aware of the fact that there's a lot of misleading or false information on the internet about mental health issues.
While the NHS is working to improve its mental health care however, it is still struggling to cope with demand. There are 54 mental health trusts across the UK and the majority of are funded by clinical commissioning groups to deliver their service. They typically are located in a particular region however, they can also be contracted to provide national services.
The lack of resources is a major issue. There are concerns about the quality and shortage of nurses and psychiatrists. The NHS is working to improve the quality of care by offering more training and introducing new methods of working. It also offers more efficient and safer methods to treat those who are in crisis. These include mobile crisis teams, as well as safe space.
Supporting you
Since the NHS was established 70 years ago there have been numerous positive developments for those suffering from mental health problems. The options for treatment have grown and social barriers have been taken down. But there's still a lot to do.
People who are suffering from mental health issues should get the help they need quickly and easily. This is why the NHS is working hard to improve services for people who require these services. We will ensure that every acute hospital is without the mental health liaison service in A&E departments and wards for patients by 2020/21. 70% of these services will meet the "core 24" standard by 2023/24, working towards 100% coverage thereafter.
We will also expand services for those who require them in the community, including therapy for talking, which will give hundreds of thousands more people with common or severe mental health conditions the support they need. We will continue to develop the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme so that more people are visited by therapists who are qualified, faster.
how do you get a mental health assessment offers confidential, no-cost helplines to anyone struggling with mental health issues. These include the Samaritans and Mind and Rethink. These helplines are run by volunteers who provide a safe place to talk or offer advice and guidance about how to handle your mental health concerns.
There are also a number local organizations that can offer assistance and support to those suffering from mental health issues. These include self-help guides, strategies for coping and activities to try. A lot of these organizations provide support groups in person for those who would prefer this type of support.
For students, there's the University's Open Door Team which offers the opportunity to visit a counselling center for those who are feeling low or stressed. Nightline is a student counseling service that offers confidential listening, support and information from knowledgeable volunteers. Charities like Mind and Rethink can provide many sources of information and support, both online and in local groups. They offer a variety of classes and activities, including mindfulness classes to art classes, which can be beneficial for those suffering from mental health issues.
Referring someone to you
Mental health services are under pressure and GPs are forced to make difficult decisions about which specialist services to refer their patients to. The doctor will take a patient's medical history into consideration and then refer them to a specialist they believe can assist. They can send a referral to an NHS trust, or to an independent provider.
A mental health specialist will review the referral to determine if it's appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't pleased with the referral they will contact the GP to discuss their decision and explain why. They could request the GP to change the referral or request additional details.
Referrals to the local Community Mental Health Team can be made through the NHS e-Referral Service. The system permits GPs and other healthcare professionals to refer patients to either a mental health clinical assessment or directly to an outpatient appointment. However there are some exceptions. CMHTs offer both options and the system cannot be used for every kind of mental health referral.
A GP may also decide to refer a patient to an expert community mental health service (CMT). These are usually operated by a large local healthcare organisation or hospital. CMTs are an excellent option for those who require to consult a psychologist or psychiatrist, but do not require inpatient treatment. They can also provide an early intervention service where a psychiatrist works with a therapist in order to help someone overcome any crisis or improve the quality of their lives.
One of the major challenges faced by CMTs CMT is ensuring that all referrals are assigned within the proper time frame. One of the challenges is that a large number of referrals are deemed urgent, despite the fact that they may not be. This can result in delays and over-working for those who aren't in need.
To address this issue some CMHTs are trying to establish more uniform guidelines for what is an urgent referral. This was accomplished by using an established form that asks the referrer if the situation is urgent. The form includes a box that the referrer can tick in the event that they believe that the referral is urgent.