Mental Health Services on the NHS
The NHS has responded to the rising number of mental health issues by offering services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan reaffirmed its commitment to boost investment in mental health services more quickly than the overall NHS budget. This includes special suicide prevention services.
Need help?
One in four people will be affected by mental illness at one point during their lives. The good news is there are many avenues to seek assistance, and the majority of us will improve with time. It is crucial to know what help is available and who can provide it.
You can seek help from your GP or the local health center or a mental health service in your area. These teams are made up of nurses, occupational therapists, psychotherapists and speech and language therapists who work together with those who utilize the service. Based on the kind of help you need you might be provided with individual or group therapy.
Your GP will usually request you to fill out an application form to refer you to a community mental health team. They will also ask what type of assistance you require. You will be assessed by a member of the mental team, such as psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker. In some instances your evaluation and treatment will be carried out by a nurse specialist. You can contact the NHS 111 helpline for assistance if you're in crisis. If you're already being supported by mental health services, it's a good idea to try and contact your usual team first unless it's out of core hours, the weekend or on a bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health detailed plans to establish multidisciplinary, community-based mental health teams that are connected to primary care networks. These will help to improve the quality of care that is given to those experiencing a mental health crisis and provide support in their homes and communities, rather than in hospital.
The plan also aims at making crisis services more accessible by decreasing waiting times and opening more beds. It would also introduce mental health transport vehicles, and ensure that all ambulances have an official who is a mental health liaison in their control rooms to improve the way that those suffering from a mental health crisis are assisted in emergencies.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a variety of treatment options to treat mental health problems. Disorders that are less severe are usually treated by GPs however more severe conditions require specialists. These teams operate across primary and community mental health services, as well as psychiatric hospitals. There are also safe places where you can get help for those who are in a crisis.
Talking therapies are one of the most common types of treatment for anxiety and depression. These programs, previously referred to as IAPT (Interactive Assessment and Psychotherapy) have seen their referral numbers increase each year since they introduced 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 medicines are also a vital element of treatment. They can help alleviate symptoms by altering the way the brain's chemicals work. They can also help ease side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will recommend the best medication for you.
A wide variety of talking therapy options are available, including group therapy and individual therapy. Some of these can be delivered in person, but others can be delivered via a remote device. Some patients prefer treatment in person, but this is a personal preference. Mind is one of many organizations that offer support groups and courses. Their website contains a wealth of information that is reliable, however you should be aware that there's plenty of false or misleading information available on the internet regarding mental health issues.
The NHS is advancing the mental health system, but it is struggling to meet the demands. In the UK there are 54 mental trusts. They receive the majority of funding for their services from the clinical commissioning group. They typically are 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 demands of the rising population. There are also concerns about the quality of care and there is a shortage of nurses and psychiatrists. The NHS is striving to improve its services by introducing new methods of work and delivering more training. It is also introducing safer and more effective ways to treat people in crisis like mobile crisis teams, as well as safe places.
We are here to help you
Since the NHS was first introduced 70 years ago, there have been positive developments for those suffering from mental health issues. The treatment options have gotten better and social barriers have been taken down. However, there is still much to be done.
Patients who are experiencing mental health problems require the ability to access the help they require quickly and easily. The NHS is working to improve its services to ensure that those who need them can get them. By 2020/21 we will ensure that all acute hospitals have a mental health liaison service both in A&E and on inpatient wards, and that 70% will be in compliance with the core 24 standard by 2023/24. We will then strive to achieve 100% coverage.
We will also expand services for the community, such as talking therapy, in order to provide support for hundreds of thousands of people with mental health conditions, whether they are severe or common. We will continue to work on the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) program to ensure that more people are seen by qualified therapists, more quickly.
The NHS offers confidential, free helplines to anyone struggling with mental health issues. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines available. These helplines are operated 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 issues.
There are also local organisations that can provide help and advice to those who suffer from mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping techniques and other activities are available. Many of these organisations also provide support groups in person for those who would prefer this type of support.
For students, there is the University's Open Door Team which offers a drop-in counselling service for those who are feeling depressed or stressed. There's also the Nightline student counselling service that provides confidential listening and support from skilled volunteers, or details about other services. Charities like Mind and Rethink can provide many sources of information and support both online and in local groups. They also offer many classes and activities, from mindfulness to art classes that could be beneficial for people suffering from mental health problems.
Referrals
With mental health services under pressure, GPs have to make difficult decisions regarding the services they will refer patients to. private mental health assessment cost will consider the patient's medical background and recommend them to services they believe will be able assist. They can send a referral to an NHS trust, or to an independent provider.
A mental health specialist will then assess the referral and decide whether it's appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't happy with the referral, they'll call the GP and explain the reasons. They could request the GP to alter the referral or request additional information.
Referrals to a local Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) can be made through the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS). The system allows GPs as well as other healthcare professionals to refer patients to either a preliminary mental health clinical assessment service or directly to an outpatient appointment. Not all CMHTs offer both options and the system can't be used for all types of mental health referrals.
A GP might also decide to refer a patient to an expert community mental health service (CMT). These are usually run either by a large hospital or local healthcare organization. CMTs are a great option for those who want to consult a qualified psychologist or psychiatrist but don't require inpatient care. They can also provide an early intervention service where a psychiatrist works with a counselor to help someone overcome a problem or improve their life quality.
One of the major challenges that CMTs CMT is ensuring that all suitable referrals are allocated within an appropriate time frame. Many referrals are considered urgent, even if they may not be. This can lead to delays and over-working for those who are not in crisis.
To tackle this issue, some CMHTs have tried to establish more uniform guidelines for what constitutes an urgent referral. This was achieved through a standardised form which asks the referrer if they believe the case is urgent. The form has a checkbox for the referrer to check if they feel the referral is urgent.