Mental Health Services on the NHS
The NHS has responded to the rise in mental health issues by providing services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan reaffirmed its commitment to boost investment in mental health services faster than overall NHS budget. This will include specialized work in suicide prevention.
Getting help
One in four of us will suffer from mental health issues at some point in our lives. The good news is there are a variety of ways to seek help, and many of us will recover over time. It's important to understand the types of help available and who can offer it.
You can seek assistance from a variety of sources, including your GP (primary medical doctor who treats patients), your local health center or a community mental health team. These teams consist of nurses, occupational therapists psychotherapists, psychotherapists, and speech and language therapists who work together with those who utilize the service. Depending on the type of help you require you might be provided with individual or group therapy.
You will be asked to fill out a form from your GP so they can refer you to a mental health service in the community. They will also ask you what type of assistance you require. Then, you will be viewed by a member of the mental health team that may include a psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker. In certain instances the clinical nurse specialist will conduct your assessment and treatment. If you're experiencing a crisis, you can call the NHS 111 helpline for urgent support. If you are already receiving mental health services, it is best to contact your primary team first, unless out of 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 links to primary care networks. These teams will enhance the quality of the care delivered to people experiencing a crisis, and offer support to those in their homes and community rather than in hospitals.
The plan aims to make crisis services accessible by reducing waiting times and opening more beds. It would also introduce the mental transport vehicle and ensure that all ambulances are stocked with an individual who is a mental liaison nurse in the control room to ensure that those who are experiencing mental distress are supported during emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a variety of treatment options for mental health problems. Less severe disorders are often treated by GPs and more serious disorders require specialists. These teams are located in primary and community mental healthcare services, as well psychiatric hospital. There are also safe spaces where you can get help for those who are in a state of crisis.
Talking therapies are among the most popular forms of treatment for anxiety and depression. These programs, previously known as IAPT (Interactive Assessment and Psychotherapy), have seen their numbers of clients increase each year since they introduced in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan has committed to expanding these services to 1.9 million people by 2023/2024.
Psychiatric drugs are a different component of treatment. They can help alleviate symptoms by altering how the brain's chemicals function. They can also be used to lessen the negative effects of other treatments. Your doctor will suggest the right medication for you.
A variety of talk therapy options are available which include group therapy as well as individual therapy. Some of these therapies are delivered in-person, while others can be done via remote access. Some patients prefer face to face treatment, but it's the choice of the patient. Mind is one of the organizations that offer support groups and classes. The site is full of information that is reliable but you should be aware of the fact that there are numerous false or misleading statements on the internet regarding mental health issues.
The NHS is advancing the mental health system, but it is struggling to meet demand. There are 54 mental health trusts in the UK, and most of them receive funding from clinical commissioning organizations to deliver their services. They are typically located in a specific area, but can be contracted to provide national services.
The main issue is the lack of resources to meet the demands of the rising population. There are concerns over the quality and availability of nurses and psychiatrists. The NHS is trying to improve the quality of care by introducing new methods of work and providing more training. It also introduces more efficient and safer methods to help people in crisis like mobile crisis teams and safe areas.
We are here to help you
Since the NHS was launched 70 years ago there have been numerous positive developments for those suffering from mental health problems. Treatment options have expanded and social barriers are being taken down. However, there is still much to be done.
People who are suffering from mental health problems need to be able to access the help they require quickly and easily. This is why the NHS is putting in the effort to improve services for people who need these services. By 2020/21 we will ensure that all acute hospitals offer a mental health liaison service both in A&E as well as on wards for patients, and that 70% of these will meet the core 24 standard by 2023/24. Then we will strive for 100 percent coverage.
We will also expand community services, including talk therapy, to provide support for hundreds of thousands of people suffering from mental health problems, whether they are severe or common. We will continue to work on our national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme (IAPT), so that more people with mental health conditions can be seen quicker by trained therapists.
The NHS offers free, confidential helplines for anyone struggling with mental health issues. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines available. These helplines are run by volunteers who offer an environment where you can talk to someone in a safe manner or offer advice and guidance about how to handle your mental health concerns.
There are a variety of local organizations that provide assistance and support to those suffering from mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping techniques and other activities are all possible. Many of these organizations also provide support groups in person for those who would prefer this type of support.
The University's Open Door Team offers a drop-in counseling service for students struggling or stressed. There is also the Nightline student counselling service, which provides confidential listening and support from skilled volunteers, or information about other services. Charities like Mind and Rethink can provide a wealth of information and support, both online and in local groups. They can provide a variety of activities and courses ranging including mindfulness classes to art classes that can be beneficial for those suffering from mental health issues.
Making a referral
Mental health services are under strain and GPs have to make difficult decisions about which specialist services to refer their patients to. The doctor will take the patient's medical history into consideration and then recommend them to a service they think could be able to assist. They might send a referral to an NHS trust or an independent service.
A mental health professional will then review the referral and decide whether it's appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't happy with the referral, they'll call the GP to discuss their decision and provide why. They can also ask the GP to provide more information or to modify the referral.
The ability to refer patients to a local Community Mental Health Team can be made via the NHS e-Referral Service. The system lets doctors and other healthcare professionals to send patients to either an initial clinical assessment service for mental health or directly to an appointment. However there are mental health assessment cost . CMHTs offer both options and the system isn't able to be used for every type of mental health referral.
A doctor may also refer patients to a mental health specialist in the community service (CMT). They are typically run by an extensive hospital or a local health care organization. CMTs are a great option for those who require to see a psychiatrist or psychologist but do not require inpatient treatment. They can also offer an early intervention program where a psychiatrist works with a psychotherapist to help someone overcome an issue or improve the quality of their lives.
One of the biggest challenges faced by CMTs CMT is ensuring that all referrals are allocated within an appropriate time frame. Many referrals are considered urgent even though they may not be. This can result in delays and over-working for those who are not in crisis.
To tackle this issue, some CMHTs have tried to establish more uniform standards for what constitutes a referral urgent. This was accomplished by using a standardised form which asks the referrer if the case is urgent. The proforma includes a box that the referrer can tick in the event that they believe the referral is urgent.