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 the overall NHS budget. This will include specialized work in suicide prevention.
Get assistance
One in four of us will suffer from mental health issues at some point in our lives. The good news is that there are a variety of different ways to get help and most of us recover over time. But it's important to know what assistance is available and who can provide it.
You can seek assistance 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 work with clients who seek their services. Based on the type of assistance 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 professional in the community. They will also ask you to specify what type of assistance you require. understanding will then be examined by someone from a mental health team, which may comprise a psychiatrist psychologist or social worker. In certain instances your evaluation and treatment will be conducted by a nurse specialist. You can contact the NHS 111 helpline for assistance if you're in a crisis. If you are already receiving mental health support, it is best to call your usual team first, unless it's out of office hours, on a weekend, or a bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health included plans to establish more place-based, multidisciplinary community mental health teams that have links to primary care networks. These will help to improve the quality of the care delivered to people who are experiencing a mental health crisis and provide support within their communities and homes instead of in hospitals.
The plan aims to make emergency services available by reducing wait times and allowing more beds. It would also introduce mental health transport vehicles, and ensure that every ambulance has an official who is a mental health liaison in their control rooms to improve the way people suffering from mental health issues are supported in emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a range of treatment options to treat mental health issues. GPs are often able to treat minor disorders, but more serious conditions will require a specialist team. These teams are spread across primary and community mental health services, and the psychiatric hospitals. There are also safe places where you can get help if you are feeling in a state of 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 number of referrals increase every year since they were introduced in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan commits to expanding these services so that 1.9 million people will be able to access them by 2023/2024.
Psychiatric medications are another crucial part of treatment. They can alleviate symptoms by altering how the brain's chemicals function. They can also be used to alleviate the side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will prescribe the right medicine for you.
There are many different types of talk therapy, including group therapy and individual therapy. Some of these can be delivered in person, while others can be delivered online. Some patients prefer to receive treatment in person, but that is a personal decision. There are also a lot of charities that offer support groups and classes like Mind. The site is full of reliable information, but be aware that there are numerous false or misleading claims on the internet concerning mental health issues.
The NHS is advancing the mental health system, but it is struggling to meet the demands. There are 54 mental health trusts across the UK and the majority of are funded by clinical commissioning groups to provide their service. They are usually located in a particular region however they can also be commissioned to offer national services.
The shortage of resources is a major issue. There are concerns over the quality and shortage of nurses and psychiatrists. The NHS is trying to improve these services by delivering more training and introducing new methods of working. It also introduces safer and more effective ways to help people in crisis. These include mobile crisis teams and safe space.
Supporting you
Since the NHS was established 70 years ago there have been positive developments for people suffering from mental health issues. The options for treatment have grown and social barriers have been taken down. But there is much more to be done.
People who are in mental health issues should receive the assistance they require quickly and easily. This is why the NHS is striving to improve the quality of services for those who need these services. By 2020/21, we will make sure that all acute hospitals have a mental-health liaison service that is available in A&E as well as on wards for patients and that 70% of them will meet the core 24 standard by 2023/24. We will then strive to achieve 100% coverage.
We will also expand community services, including talking therapy, to provide support for hundreds of thousands of people suffering from mental health issues regardless of whether they are common or severe. We will continue to develop the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) program so that more people can be treated by trained therapists quicker.
The NHS offers confidential, no-cost helplines to those suffering from mental health issues. These include the Samaritans, Mind and Rethink. These helplines are run entirely by volunteers who offer an environment where you can talk to someone in a safe manner or offer advice and guidance on how to deal your mental health concerns.
There are also local organisations that can provide assistance and support to those suffering from mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping techniques and activities can be included. Many of these organisations also offer face-to-face support groups for those who prefer this option.
For students, there is the University's Open Door Team which offers the opportunity to visit a counselling center for those feeling depressed or stressed. Nightline is a student counseling service that offers confidential listening assistance, information and support from experienced volunteers. Charities such as Mind and Rethink can provide many sources of information and support both on the internet and in local groups. They offer a variety of courses and activities including mindfulness classes to art classes that can be beneficial for those suffering from mental health issues.
Referrals
Mental health services are under strain and GPs have to make difficult decisions about the best specialist services to refer their patients to. The doctor will take a patient's medical history into account and then refer them to a specialist they think could be able to assist. They can refer a patient to an NHS trust or an independent provider.
A mental health professional will review the referral to determine if it's appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't satisfied with the referral they will call the GP to discuss their decision and explain the reason. They could also ask the GP to modify the referral or request more information.
Learn Alot more Here to the local Community Mental Health Team can be made using the NHS e-Referral Service. The system allows GPs as well as other health professionals to refer people to either a mental health assessment or directly to an outpatient appointment. However there are some exceptions. CMHTs offer both options and the system isn't able to be used for every type of mental health referral.
A GP may refer a patient to a mental health specialist in the community service (CMT). These are usually run by a major local healthcare organization or hospital. CMTs are a good choice for those who require to consult a psychologist or psychiatrist, but do not require inpatient care. They can also provide an early intervention service, where a psychiatrist works with the psychotherapist to help a patient overcome a crisis or increase their quality of life.
One of the biggest challenges faced by a CMT is ensuring that all referrals are allocated within the proper time frame. Many referrals are deemed urgent even though they may not be. This can result in delays and over-working for people who aren't in a crisis.
To address this issue some CMHTs are trying to establish more consistent guidelines for what constitutes an urgent referral. This has been accomplished by using an established referral form that requires the referrer to decide if the situation is urgent. The form includes a box that the referrer can tick when they believe the referral is urgent.
