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 offering services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan reaffirmed its commitment to boost investment in mental health services faster than the overall NHS budget. This includes the work of a specialist in suicide prevention.
Get assistance
One out of four of us will experience mental health issues at some moment in our lives. The good news is that there are plenty of different ways to seek assistance and the majority of us recover after a while. It is crucial to know the types of help available and who can provide it.
You can seek help from your physician or the local health center or mental health service in your local area. These teams are made up of occupational therapists, nurses, psychotherapists and speech and language therapists who work with the people who utilize the service. Depending on the type of assistance you require you might be provided with individual or group therapy.
Your doctor will typically require you to fill out the form so that they can refer you to a local mental health team. They will also ask you what kind of support you need. Then, you will be viewed by someone from a mental health team, which may comprise a psychiatrist psychologist or social worker. In some cases a clinical nurse specialist will conduct your assessment and treatment. If you're experiencing crisis, call the NHS 111 helpline for immediate support. If you already receive mental health services it is recommended to contact your primary team first, unless it is outside of hours, or on a weekend or bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health detailed plans to create multidisciplinary, community-based mental health teams that are connected to primary care networks. They will improve the quality of care that is delivered to people who are suffering from a mental health crisis. They will also provide support within their communities and homes instead of in hospitals.
The plan also aimed to make crisis services more accessible by reducing wait times and allowing 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 people suffering from an illness of mental health are supported in emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS provides a variety of treatment options for mental health conditions. Less severe disorders are often treated by GPs, while more serious disorders require a specialist team. These teams work in community and primary mental healthcare services, as well psychiatric hospital. You can also seek help in a secure environment when you are in a crisis.
Talking therapies are one of the most commonly used forms of treatment for anxiety and depression. Previously referred to as IAPT the programs have seen referrals increase each year since their launch 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 in 2023/2024.
Psychiatric drugs are a different aspect of treatment. They can alleviate symptoms by altering how the brain's chemicals function. They can also be used to alleviate the side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will prescribe the best medicine for you.
There are many kinds of talking therapies, including individual therapy and group therapy. Some of these can be delivered in person, while others can be done remotely. Some patients prefer receiving treatment in person, but that is a personal decision. Mind is one of the charities that provide support groups and courses. The website contains a wealth of reliable information, but be aware of the fact that there are a lot of false or misleading statements that are posted on the internet about mental health issues.
While the NHS is improving its mental health care but it's still struggling to keep up with demand. There are 54 mental health trusts in the UK and the majority of are funded by clinical commissioning groups to deliver their service. They usually are located in a specific area, but they can be commissioned to offer national services.
One of the main issues is the insufficient resources to meet the demands of the rising population. There are concerns over the quality and availability of psychiatrists and nurses. The NHS is trying to improve the quality of care by introducing new ways of work and providing more training. It also offers more efficient and safer methods of treating people who are in crisis. This includes mobile crisis teams and safe space.
Supporting you
Since the NHS was established 70 years ago there have been numerous positive developments for people suffering from mental health problems. Treatment options have gotten more diverse and social barriers are breaking down. However, there is much to be done.
People who are suffering from mental illness need to receive the assistance they require quickly and easily. That's why the NHS is working hard to improve services for people who need 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 be in line with the "core 24" standard by 2023/24. We will work towards 100% coverage thereafter.
We will also extend services for people who require them in the community, which includes psychotherapy, in order to provide thousands of more people suffering from severe or common mental health conditions the assistance they need. We will continue to work on our national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme (IAPT) in order to ensure that more people suffering from mental health issues can be seen more quickly by therapists who are qualified.
The NHS offers free, confidential helplines to anyone suffering from a mental health issue. These include the Samaritans, Mind and Rethink. These helplines are run by trained volunteers and provide a safe space to talk, or offer guidance and information on how to manage your mental health concerns.
There are also local organizations that can offer support and guidance to people suffering from mental health issues. These can include self-help guides, strategies for coping and activities to try. Many of these organizations also offer support groups that meet face-to-face for those who would prefer this type of support.
For students, there's the University's Open Door Team which offers a drop-in counselling service for those who are feeling low or stressed. There is also the Nightline student counselling service that offers confidential listening and support from experienced volunteers, or details on other services. Charities such as Mind and Rethink are a great source of information and can provide support in a variety of ways that include online and through local groups. They can offer a range of activities and courses ranging from mindfulness to art classes that can be beneficial for those suffering from mental health issues.
Referrals
Mental health services are under pressure and GPs have to make difficult decisions about which specialist services they should refer their patients to. The doctor will take the patient's medical history into account and then recommend them to a service they believe will be able to help. They might send a referral to an NHS trust or an independent provider.
A mental health specialist will then review the referral and decide 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 provide the reasons. mental health evaluation could also ask the GP to modify the referral or request more details.
Requests for a local Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) can be made through the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS). The system allows GPs and other health professionals to refer people to either a mental health clinical assessment or directly to an appointment with an outpatient. However there are some exceptions. CMHTs provide both options, and the system isn't able to be used for every type of mental health referral.
A doctor may decide to refer a patient to a specialist community mental health service (CMT). These are usually run by a large local health organization or a hospital. CMTs are a great option for those who require to visit a psychologist or psychiatrist but do not require inpatient care. They can also provide an early intervention program, where a psychiatrist collaborates with the psychotherapist to help a patient overcome a crisis or increase their quality of life.
One of the biggest challenges that a CMT is how to ensure that all suitable referrals are allocated within the appropriate timeframe. One of the problems is that a large number of referrals are considered urgent, even though they may not be. This can cause patients who aren't in crisis to be rushed and suffer delays.
To tackle this issue, certain CMHTs are working 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 case is urgent. The proforma has a box that the referrer has to check to indicate if the request is urgent.