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 offering services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan has made the commitment to increase the amount of money spent on mental health services quicker than the NHS budget in general. This will include the work of a specialist in suicide prevention.
Getting help
One out of four of us will suffer from a mental health problem at some time in our lives. The good news is that there are many different ways to seek help and most of us recover after a while. However, it is important to know what help is available, and who can provide it.
You can seek assistance from a variety of sources, including your GP (primary care medical doctor), your local health center or a community mental health team. These teams are comprised of nurses, occupational and speech therapists, and psychotherapists. They work with patients who require their services. Based on the kind of help you need you might be provided with individual or group therapy.
Your doctor will typically request you to fill out a form to send you a referral to a community mental health team. They will also ask you what type of assistance you require. You will then be seen by a member of the mental health team that may comprise a psychiatrist social worker or psychologist. In certain instances the clinical nurse specialist will carry out your assessment and treatment. You can contact the NHS 111 helpline when you're in crisis. If you are already receiving support for your mental health, it is best to contact your regular team first, unless out of office hours, on a weekend or a bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health detailed plans to establish multidisciplinary mental health teams in the community that are connected to primary care networks. They will improve 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 instead of in hospitals.
The plan also aims to make crisis services accessible by cutting down wait times and allowing more beds. It also proposes the introduction of mental health transport vehicles and make sure that every ambulance has an official who is a mental health liaison 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 minor disorders, but more serious conditions will require a specialist team. These teams operate across primary and community mental health services, and also psychiatric hospitals. There are also safe places where you can seek assistance when you're in crisis.
Talking therapies are among the most common types of treatment for anxiety and depression. Previously known as IAPT, these programs have seen referrals increase each year since their introduction in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan has committed to expanding these programs to 1.9 million people by 2023/2024.
Psychiatric drugs are a different component of treatment. They can alleviate symptoms by altering how the brain's chemicals work. They can be used to minimize the adverse effects of other treatments. Your doctor will prescribe the right medicine for you.
There are many kinds of talk therapies, such as group therapy and individual therapy. Some of these are delivered in person, whereas others can be delivered remotely. Some patients prefer receiving treatment in person, but that is a personal preference. Mind is one of many charities that provide support groups and classes. what is mental health assessment is full of reliable information, but be aware that there are numerous false or misleading statements on the internet about mental health issues.
While the NHS is advancing its mental health services, it still struggles to meet the demands. There are 54 mental health trusts in the UK and the majority of them receive funding from clinical commissioning groups to deliver their services. They usually are located in a specific region however, they may be contracted to provide national services.
A key issue is the insufficient resources to meet the growing demand. There are concerns over the quality and shortage of psychiatrists and nurses. The NHS is trying to improve the quality of care by introducing new methods of working and offering more training. It also introduces more efficient and safer methods to assist people in need, such as mobile crisis teams, as well as safe areas.
Helping you
Since the NHS was established 70 years ago there have been numerous positive developments for those suffering from mental health issues. The treatment options have gotten better and social barriers have been broken down. However, there is much to do.
People experiencing a mental health crisis need to be able to access the help they require quickly and easily. This is why the NHS is striving to improve services for people who require these services. By 2020/21 we will ensure that all acute hospitals have a mental health liaison service, both in A&E as well as on wards for patients, and that 70% of these will meet the standard of 24 by 2023/24. We will then strive for 100% coverage.
We will also increase services for people who need them in the community, including therapy for talking, which will give hundreds of thousands of patients with severe or common mental health conditions the assistance they require. We will continue to work on our national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies program (IAPT) in order to ensure that more people with mental health problems are seen faster by therapists who are qualified.
The NHS offers free, confidential 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 a safe space to talk or give guidance and information on how to manage your mental health issues.
There are a variety of local organizations that can offer support and guidance to people with mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping methods and other activities are available. Many of these organisations provide support groups in person for those who prefer it.
For students, there is the University's Open Door Team which offers the opportunity to visit a counselling center for those who feel depressed or stressed. Nightline is a student counseling service that offers private listening assistance, information and support from knowledgeable volunteers. Charities like Mind and Rethink can provide many sources of information and assistance, both on the internet and in local groups. They can also offer many classes and activities, ranging from mindfulness to art classes, which may be useful for people suffering from mental health issues.
Referrals
Mental health services are under pressure and GPs must make difficult choices regarding which specialist services to refer their patients to. The doctor will take the patient's medical history into consideration and then refer them to a service they think can assist. They might send a referral to an NHS trust or an independent service.
A mental health specialist will then evaluate the referral and decide whether it's appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't satisfied with the referral they will contact the GP to discuss their decision and provide why. They may also request the GP for more details or to modify the referral.
Requests for a local Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) can be made through the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS). The system allows GPs and other healthcare professionals to refer patients to either a pre-mental health assessment or directly to an appointment with an outpatient. Not all CMHTs offer both options, and the system can't be used for all types of mental health referrals.
A GP can also refer patients to a community mental health specialist service (CMT). These are usually operated by a large local healthcare organization or hospital. CMTs can be a good alternative for those looking to consult with a seasoned psychologist or psychiatrist, but don't need inpatient treatment. They can also provide an early intervention program, where a psychiatrist will work with the psychotherapist to help a patient overcome a crisis or increase their quality of life.
CMTs have the responsibility of making sure that all referrals are received within a reasonable amount of time. One of the challenges is that a lot of referrals are considered urgent, despite the fact that they may not be. This can cause people who aren't in a crisis to be rushed and suffer delays.
To tackle this issue, certain CMHTs are working to establish more uniform standards for what is an urgent referral. This has been accomplished by using a standardised referral proforma that requires a referrer to consider whether the case is urgent. The proforma includes a box for the referrer to check in the event that they believe the referral is urgent.