Mental Health Services on the NHS
There has been a massive 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.
Helping yourself
One in four of us will have mental health issues at some moment in our lives. The good news is that there are a variety of different ways to get help, and most people recover over time. However, it is important to know what help is available, and who can offer it.
You can get help from your physician, your local health center, or a mental health team in your area. These teams comprise of nurses, occupational and speech therapists, and psychotherapists. They collaborate with people who use their services. Based on the type of help you require you might be provided with individual or group therapy.
Your GP will usually require you to fill out an application form to make a referral to a community mental health team. They will also speak to you about the type of help you require. You will be seen by an individual from the mental team like psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker. In some cases a clinical nurse specialist will conduct your assessment and treatment. You can call 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 the normal hours, 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 links to primary care networks. These plans will aid in improving the quality of care that is delivered to people who are experiencing a mental health crisis. They will also offer assistance within their communities and homes, rather than in hospital.
The plan aims to make emergency services available by cutting down wait times and opening up more beds. It would also include a mental transport vehicle and ensure that all ambulances are stocked with a mental liaison nurse within the control room to ensure that those who are experiencing mental distress are helped in times of crisis.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a wide array of treatment options for mental health conditions. GPs are often able to treat milder conditions, but more severe illnesses will require a specialist team. These teams are spread across community and primary mental health services, and psychiatric hospitals. You can also seek assistance in a secure space should you be in a state of crisis.
Talking therapies are one of the most popular forms of treatment for anxiety and depression. These programs, previously referred to as IAPT (Interactive Assessment and Psychotherapy) have seen their number of referrals increase each year since they introduced in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan commits to expanding these programs so that 1.9 million people can access them in 2023/2024.
Psychiatric medicines are another important part of treatment. They can improve symptoms by altering the way chemicals in your brain work. They can also be used to reduce the effects of other treatments. Your doctor will prescribe the best medication for you.
There are many kinds of talking therapies, including group therapy and individual therapy. Some of these are delivered in person, but others are available online. Some patients prefer treatment in person, but that is a personal decision. There are a variety of charities that offer support groups and classes like Mind. Their website contains a wealth of information that is reliable, however you should be aware of the fact that there's a lot of misleading or false information on the internet about mental health issues.
The NHS is working to improve mental health care but it is struggling to meet the demand. In the UK there are 54 mental trusts. The majority of them receive funding for their services from clinical commissioning groups. They are usually located in a specific area however, they may be contracted to provide national services.
One of the main issues is the insufficient resources to meet the demands of the rising population. There are concerns about the quality and availability of psychiatrists and nurses. The NHS is trying to improve these services by offering more training and developing new ways of working. It also introduces more secure and efficient methods to treat people in crisis, such as mobile crisis teams and safe areas.
Supporting you
Since the NHS was first introduced 70 years ago there are positive changes for people suffering from mental health issues. Treatment options have expanded and social barriers are breaking down. But there is much more to be done.
People who are suffering from a mental health crisis require the ability to get the help they require quickly and easily. That's why the NHS is working hard to improve the services available to those who require them. We will ensure that no acute hospital does not have the mental health liaison service in A&E departments and wards for inpatients by 2020/21. 70 percent of these services will meet the 'core 24' standard by 2023/24, working towards achieving 100% coverage afterward.
We will also increase services for people who need them in the community, which includes psychotherapy, in order to provide hundreds of thousands of people with common or severe mental health issues the help they require. We will continue to develop the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme so that more people can be seen by qualified therapists, more quickly.
The NHS provides free, confidential helplines for anyone who is struggling with mental health issues. They include the Samaritans, Mind and Rethink. These helplines are operated entirely by volunteers who provide an environment where you can talk to someone in a safe manner or provide advice and information about how to handle your mental health issues.
Additionally to that, there are a lot of local organizations that can offer support and guidance for people with mental health problems. These can include self-help guides, coping strategies, and activities to try. Many of these organizations offer face-toface support groups to those who prefer it.
For students, there's the University's Open Door Team which offers a drop-in counselling service for those feeling low or stressed. There is also the Nightline student counselling service that offers confidential listening and support from experienced volunteers, as well as information about other services. Charities such as Mind and Rethink can provide many sources of information and support, both online and in local groups. They offer a variety of classes and activities, including mindfulness classes to art classes, which are beneficial for those with mental health issues.
Making a referral
Mental health services are under pressure and GPs are forced to make difficult choices regarding which specialist services they should refer their patients to. The GP will take a patient's medical history into account and then refer them to a service they believe can assist. mental health assessment online may send a referral to an NHS trust or an independent service.
A mental health professional will then review the referral and decide if it's appropriate or not. If the specialist doesn't like the referral, they will call the GP and explain the reasons. They can also request the GP to provide more information or to change the referral.
Referrals to a local Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) may be made via the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS). The system permits GPs and other healthcare professionals to refer patients to either a preliminary mental health clinical assessment service or directly to an appointment with an outpatient. However, not all CMHTs provide both options, and the system isn't able to be used for every type of mental health referral.
A doctor may also refer a patient to a mental health specialist in the community service (CMT). They are typically run by a large local healthcare organisation or hospital. CMTs are a great option for those who want to consult a qualified psychiatrist or psychologist but don't need inpatient treatment. They can also provide an early intervention program where psychiatrists collaborate with psychotherapist to assist a person overcome a crisis or improve the quality of their lives.
One of the challenges that CMTs CMT is to ensure that all appropriate referrals are assigned within an appropriate time frame. One of the issues is that a lot of referrals are deemed urgent, even though they might not be. This can lead to over-working and delays for people who are not in crisis.
To address this issue, certain CMHTs are working to establish more consistent guidelines for what is considered an urgent referral. This was accomplished by using a standardised form which asks the referrer if they believe the situation is urgent. The form includes a box for the referrer to tick when they believe that the referral is urgent.