Mental Health Services on the NHS
The NHS has responded to the rising number of mental health problems by offering services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan has made a renewed commitment to grow investment in mental health services faster than the NHS budget in general. This includes specialist work in suicide prevention.
Getting help
One of four of us will have mental health issues at some moment in our lives. The good news is that there are many avenues to seek assistance, and the majority of us will improve over time. But it's important to know what help is available, and who can offer it.
You can seek help from your doctor or the local health center or a mental health team in your community. These teams consist of occupational therapists, nurses psychotherapists, psychotherapists, and speech and language therapists who work together with the people who utilize the service. You can receive individual or group therapy based on the type of help you require.
You will be asked to fill out a form by your doctor so that they can refer you to a mental health service in the community. They will also ask you to specify what type of assistance you require. You will then be examined by a member of a mental health team, which could include a psychiatrist, social worker or psychologist. In some cases your evaluation and treatment will be carried out by a nurse specialist. If you're in crisis, call the NHS 111 helpline for urgent assistance. If you already receive mental health support it is recommended to call your usual team first, unless out of office hours, on a weekend or bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health included plans to establish more multidisciplinary, place-based community mental health teams, with connections to primary care networks. These plans will aid in improving the quality of care delivered to people who are experiencing a mental health crisis. They will also provide support within their communities and homes, rather than in hospital.
Learn Alot more Here aimed at provide crisis services to more people by reducing wait times and allowing more beds. It also proposes the introduction of mental health transport vehicles and ensure that all ambulances have a mental health liaison nurse in their control rooms to ensure that those suffering from mental health issues are supported in emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a variety of treatment options for mental health conditions. GPs are usually able to treat milder conditions, but more severe issues will require a specialist team. These teams operate across community and primary mental health services, and psychiatric hospitals. There are also safe spaces where you can seek help when you're in a crisis.
Talking therapies are one of the most commonly used forms of treatment for anxiety and depression. Formerly known as IAPT, these programs have seen referral numbers increase every year since their launch in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan has committed to expanding these services to 1.9 million people by 2023/2024.
Psychiatric medicines are also an important part of treatment. They can alleviate symptoms by altering the way chemicals work in your brain. They can also help alleviate the side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will prescribe the right medicine for you.
There are a variety of talk therapy, including group therapy and individual therapy. Some of these treatments are delivered in-person, while others are available online. Some patients prefer face-to-face treatment, but it's an individual choice. There are also a lot of charities that provide support groups and classes, such as Mind. The site contains a wealth of reliable information, but be aware that there are many false or misleading statements that are posted on the internet regarding mental health issues.
While the NHS is improving its mental health services however, it is still struggling to keep up with demand. In the UK there are 54 mental trusts. Most of them receive funding for their services from the clinical commissioning groups. They typically are located in a specific area however, they can also be contracted to provide national services.
The shortage of resources is a major problem. There are also concerns about the quality of care and the shortage 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 introduces safer and more effective ways to treat people in crisis, such as mobile crisis teams and safe places.
We are here to help you
Since the NHS was first introduced 70 years ago, there have been positive developments for people suffering from mental health issues. The treatment options have gotten better and social barriers have been smashed down. But there is more to be done.
People who are in mental illness need to receive the assistance they require quickly and easily. The NHS is striving to improve the quality of services to ensure that those who need them can get help. We will ensure that no acute hospital does not have 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. Then we will work towards a 100% coverage rate after that.
We will also increase community services, including talk therapy, in order to provide support for hundreds of thousands of individuals suffering from mental health conditions, whether they are severe or common. We will continue to develop the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme so that more people are treated by trained therapists faster.
The NHS offers confidential, no-cost helplines to those suffering from mental health issues. These include the Samaritans, Mind and Rethink. These helplines are operated by trained volunteers. They provide the opportunity to talk with someone in a secure environment or provide advice and information on how to deal with your mental health issues.
Additionally, there are a number of local organisations which can provide support and guidance to those with mental health issues. These can include self-help guides, coping strategies, and activities to try. A lot of these organizations offer support groups that meet face-to-face for those who prefer this option.
For students, there is the University's Open Door Team which offers an opportunity to consult with a counsellor at any time for those feeling low or stressed. Nightline is a student counseling service that offers confidential listening, support and information from experienced volunteers. Charities like Mind and Rethink can provide an abundance of information and assistance, both online and in local groups. They offer a variety of activities and courses ranging from mindfulness to art classes that can be beneficial for those suffering from mental health issues.
Making a referral
With mental health services under pressure, GPs have to make difficult decisions about what specialist services they should refer patients to. The GP will look at the patient's medical background and refer them to services they believe can aid. They may send a referral to an NHS trust or an independent provider.
A mental health specialist will assess the referral to determine if the referral is appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't happy with the referral they will contact the GP to discuss their decision and explain why. They can also ask the GP for more information or to change the referral.
Referrals to the local Community Mental Health Team can be made using the NHS e-Referral Service. The system allows doctors and other healthcare professionals to send patients to either a preliminary clinical assessment for mental health or directly to an appointment. However, not all CMHTs offer both options and the system cannot be used for every kind of mental health referral.
A GP can also refer a patient to a mental health specialist in the community service (CMT). These are usually operated by a large local healthcare organization or a hospital. CMTs are an excellent option for those who have to see a psychiatrist or psychologist but don't require inpatient treatment. They also provide an early intervention program where psychiatrists work with a therapist in order to assist a person overcome an issue or improve the quality of their lives.
One of the biggest challenges that a CMT is ensuring that all referrals are assigned 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 result in over-working and delays for people who aren't in need.
To address this issue, some CMHTs are trying to establish more consistent guidelines for what constitutes an urgent referral. This is being achieved by using the standardised referral forma that requires a referrer to consider whether the case is urgent. The proforma has a box that the referrer has to check when the referral is urgent.