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 reaffirmed its commitment to increase investment in mental health services faster than the overall NHS budget. This includes specialist work in suicide prevention.
Get assistance
One of four people will suffer from mental illness at one time in their lives. how to get a mental health assessment is that there are many ways to get assistance, and the majority of us will be able to recover over time. But it's important to know what help is available, and who can offer it.
You can get help from your GP, your local health center, or a mental health team within your area. These teams are made up of occupational therapists, nurses, psychotherapists and speech and language therapists who collaborate with those who utilize the service. You may receive individual or group therapy based on the kind of help you need.
You will be asked to fill out a form from your doctor so that they can refer you to a mental health professional in the community. They will also speak to you about what kind of assistance you require. You will then be examined by someone from a mental health team that may comprise a psychiatrist social worker or psychologist. In some instances, your assessment and treatment will be carried out by a clinical nurse specialist. If you are experiencing a crisis, you can contact the NHS 111 helpline for immediate support. If you're already being 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 a bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health set out plans to establish more multidisciplinary, community-based, place-based mental health teams, with connections to primary care networks. These will help to improve the quality of care given to those suffering from a mental health crisis. They will also offer assistance in their homes and communities rather than in hospitals.
The plan also aimed at provide crisis services to more people by reducing waiting times and opening more beds. It also proposed to introduce mental health transport vehicles and make sure that all ambulances have a mental health liaison nurse in their control rooms to improve the way that people who are having a mental health crisis are supported in emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS provides a variety of treatment options to treat mental health conditions. Disorders that are less severe are usually treated by GPs however more serious conditions require a specialist team. These teams operate across primary and community mental health services, and also the psychiatric hospitals. There are also safe spaces where you can seek help if you are feeling in a state of crisis.
Talking therapies are among the most common types of treatment for anxiety and depression. These programs, formerly known as IAPT (Interactive Assessment and Psychotherapy) have seen their referral numbers increase every year since they were first introduced in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan has set the goal of expanding these services to 1.9 million people by 2023/2024.
Psychiatric drugs are a different aspect of treatment. They can improve symptoms by altering the way the brain's chemicals function. They can also help reduce the effects of other treatments. Your doctor will suggest a medicine that is right for you.
A wide range of talking therapy options are offered, including group therapy and individual therapy. Some of these are delivered in person, while others are available remotely. Some patients prefer face to face treatment, but it's the choice of the patient. There are also a number of charities that provide support groups and classes, such as Mind. Their website has a lot of reliable information, but you should be aware of the fact that there's lots of misleading or false information available on the internet regarding mental health issues.
The NHS is advancing the quality of mental health care, but it is struggling to meet demand. In the UK, there are 54 mental trusts. They receive the majority of funding for their services from clinical commissioning groups. They are typically located in a specific area, but can be commissioned to provide national services.
One of the main issues is the insufficient resources to meet the growing demand. There are concerns about the quality and shortage of nurses and psychiatrists. The NHS is striving to improve its services by introducing new methods of working and offering more training. It also introduces safer and more effective ways to help people who are in crisis. This includes mobile crisis teams, as well as safe spaces.
We are here to help you
Since the NHS was established 70 years ago there have been numerous positive changes for people 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.
Patients who are experiencing a mental health crisis require the ability to get the assistance they require quickly and easily. The NHS is working to improve its services so that people in need can get them. We will ensure that every acute hospital is without a mental health liaison service in A&E departments and wards for patients by 2020/21, and that 70 percent of these services will be in line with the 'core 24' standard by 2023/24, working towards 100% coverage thereafter.
We will also increase services for people who need them in the community, such as talking therapies, to give thousands of more people suffering from severe or common mental health issues the help they need. We will continue to work on our national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies program (IAPT) to ensure that more people with mental health conditions can be seen more quickly by therapists who are qualified.
The NHS offers confidential, free assistance to anyone suffering from mental health issues. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines available. These helplines are run entirely by volunteers who provide a safe place to talk or give advice and information on how to manage your mental health issues.
In addition there are a variety of local organizations that can provide assistance and support for those suffering from mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping methods and other activities are available. Many of these organizations offer face-toface support groups 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 assistance, information and support from knowledgeable volunteers. Charities such as Mind and Rethink are a great source of information and provide support in a variety of ways such as online and through local groups. They also offer various courses and activities, from mindfulness to art classes that could be beneficial for people who suffer from mental health issues.
Referrals
Mental health services are under strain and GPs have to make difficult choices about which specialist services they should refer their patients to. The doctor will take the patient's medical history into consideration and then refer them to a specialist they think could be able to assist. They can refer a patient to an NHS trust, or to an independent provider.
A mental health specialist will examine the referral to determine if the referral is appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't satisfied with the referral they will call the GP to discuss their decision and explain the reasons. They may request the GP to alter the referral or ask for more information.
Referrals to a local Community Mental Health Team can be made via the NHS e-Referral Service. The system lets doctors and other healthcare professionals send patients to either a preliminary clinical assessment service for mental health or directly to an appointment. Not all CMHTs offer both options and the system can't be used for all kinds of mental health referrals.
A doctor may refer a patient to a mental health specialist in the community service (CMT). These are usually run by a large local healthcare organisation or a hospital. CMTs are a great alternative for those looking to consult with a seasoned psychologist or psychiatrist, but don't require inpatient care. They also provide an early intervention program where psychiatrists work with a psychotherapist to assist a person overcome a crisis or improve the quality of their life.
CMTs face the challenge of ensuring that all referrals are received within a reasonable time. Many referrals are considered urgent, even though they might not be. This can lead to delays and over-working for those who aren't in a crisis.
To combat this problem, a few CMHTs have tried to establish more uniform standards for what constitutes a referral urgent. This was accomplished by using an established form that asks the referrer if they believe the case is urgent. The form includes a box that the referrer can tick if the request is urgent.