Mental Health Services on the NHS
There has been a huge 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 the commitment to increase investment in mental health services faster than the NHS budget overall. This includes special suicide prevention services.
Helping yourself
One in four people will be affected by mental illness at some time in their lives. More Information and facts is that there are many ways to get help, and many of us will be able to recover over time. It is essential to know what help is available and who can provide it.
You can seek help from your doctor or the local health center or mental health service in your area. These teams are comprised of occupational therapists, nurses psychotherapists, psychotherapists, and speech and language therapists who work together with people who use the service. Depending on the type of help you need you could receive individual or group therapy.
You will be asked to fill out a form from your GP so that they can refer you to a mental health service in the community. They will also talk with you about the kind of help you need. You will be assessed by an individual from an interdisciplinary team of mental health professionals which includes psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker. In some instances, a clinical nurse specialist will conduct your assessment and treatment. If you are experiencing crisis, call the NHS 111 helpline for immediate assistance. If you're already supported by mental health services, it's best to contact your regular team first, unless it's out of normal hours, on a weekend or on a bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health set out plans to establish more multidisciplinary, place-based community mental health teams, with connections to primary care networks. These teams will increase the quality of the mental health services provided to those in crisis, and offer support to them in their homes and community instead of in hospitals.
The plan also aims to make emergency services available by decreasing wait times and allowing more beds. It would also include an ambulance for mental health 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 supported during emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a variety of treatment options to treat mental health conditions. The less severe disorders are typically treated by GPs, while more serious disorders require specialists. These teams are located in community and primary mental healthcare services, as well psychiatric hospital. There are also safe spaces where you can seek assistance for those who are in a crisis.
Talking treatments for anxiety and depression are among the most popular treatments. Previously known as IAPT the programs have seen referrals increase every year since their introduction in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan has set the goal of expanding these services to 1.9 million people by 2023/2024.
Psychiatric medications are another crucial aspect of treatment. They can improve symptoms through changing the way chemicals work in your brain. They can also help alleviate the side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will recommend the right medication for you.
There are many different types of talking therapies, including individual therapy and group therapy. Some of these therapies are offered in person, while other are available online. Some patients prefer to receive treatment in person, but this is a personal decision. There are a variety of charities that provide support groups and courses like Mind. The website contains a wealth of information that is reliable however, be aware that there are many false or misleading claims on the internet concerning mental health issues.
The NHS is working to improve the mental health system, but it is struggling to meet the demands. There are 54 mental health trusts in the UK, and most of them receive funding from clinical commissioning organizations to deliver their services. They usually are located in a specific region however they can also be commissioned to offer national services.
The shortage of resources is a major problem. There are concerns about the quality and availability of psychiatrists and nurses. The NHS is striving to improve its services by introducing new ways of working and offering more training. It also offers more secure and efficient ways to help people who are in crisis. This includes mobile crisis teams and safe spaces.
Helping you
Since the NHS was launched 70 years ago, there are positive changes for those with mental health issues. Treatment options have gotten more diverse and social barriers are being broken down. But there is much more to be done.
People who are experiencing a mental crisis need to receive the help they require quickly and easily. The NHS is striving to improve the quality of services to ensure that those in need receive help. By 2020/21 we will ensure that all acute hospitals have a mental health liaison service that is available in A&E and on inpatient wards and that 70% of these will meet the standard of 24 by 2023/24. Then we will work towards 100 percent coverage.
We will also enhance services for the community, such as talking therapy, to offer assistance to hundreds of thousands of individuals suffering from mental health conditions, whether they are common or severe. We will continue to develop our national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies program (IAPT) in order to ensure that more people suffering from mental health issues can be seen quicker by therapists who are qualified.
The NHS offers free, confidential helplines for anyone struggling with a mental health issue. These include the Samaritans, Mind and Rethink. These helplines are run by volunteers who offer an environment where you can talk to someone in a safe manner or offer advice and guidance on how to manage your mental health concerns.
There are a variety of local organisations that can provide support and guidance to people who suffer from mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping methods and other activities are all possible. Many of these organizations provide support groups in person for those who prefer it.
The University's Open Door Team offers a drop-in counseling service for students who are experiencing stress or depression. Nightline is a student counselling service that provides confidential listening as well as information and support from experienced volunteers. Charities such as Mind and Rethink are a excellent source of information. They can offer support in many forms, including online and through local groups. They offer a variety of classes and activities, from mindfulness to art classes that are useful for people with mental health issues.
Referring someone to you
With mental health services under pressure, doctors are forced to make difficult choices about the services they will refer patients to. The GP will consider the medical history of the patient and refer them to services they believe can help. They might send a referral to an NHS trust or an independent service.
A mental health professional will then assess the referral and decide whether it's appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't happy with the referral they will call the GP to discuss their decision and explain the reasons. They may also ask the GP to modify the referral or request additional 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 to 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 kinds of mental health referrals.
A GP can refer a patient to a community mental health specialist service (CMT). They are typically operated by a large local healthcare organization or a hospital. CMTs are a great alternative for those looking to consult a qualified psychologist or psychiatrist, but do not require inpatient treatment. They can also offer an early intervention service where a psychiatrist works with a psychotherapist to assist someone in overcoming an issue or improve the quality of their life.
CMTs face the challenge of making sure that all referrals are made within a reasonable time frame. One of the challenges is that a lot of referrals are considered urgent, despite the fact that they might not be. This can lead people who aren't experiencing a crisis to be overworked and experience delays.
To combat this problem, a few CMHTs have tried to establish more uniform standards for what constitutes an urgent referral. This was accomplished by using a standardised form which asks the referrer to indicate if the case is urgent. The form has a checkbox that the referrer has to check when the referral is urgent.