Mental Health Services on the NHS
There has been a huge 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 an unrepeatable commitment to increase the amount of money spent on mental health services more quickly than the NHS budget in general. This will include specialist suicide prevention work.
Need help?
One in four people will suffer from mental illness at some time in their lives. The good news is that there are a variety of ways to seek help, and many of us will improve over time. However, it is important to know what assistance is available, and who can provide it.
You can seek help from a variety of sources like your doctor (primary medical doctor for primary care) as well as your local health centre, or a community mental health team. These teams consist of occupational and nurse psychotherapists, as well as speech therapists. They work with patients who require their services. Based on the kind of assistance you require you might be provided with individual or group therapy.
Your doctor will typically require you to fill out an application form so that they can make a referral to a community mental health team. They will also speak to you about the kind of assistance you require. You will be seen by a member of an interdisciplinary team of mental health professionals like a psychologist, psychiatrist or social worker. In certain instances your evaluation and treatment will be conducted by a clinical nurse specialist. If you're experiencing an emergency, you can call the NHS 111 helpline for immediate assistance. If you're already being supported by mental health services it's a good idea try and contact your usual team first, unless it's outside of the normal hours, a weekend or a bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health detailed plans to establish multidisciplinary, community-based mental health teams that are connected to primary care networks. These plans will aid in improving the quality of care provided to those experiencing an illness of mental health and provide support in their homes and communities rather than in hospitals.
The plan aims to make emergency services available by reducing waiting times and opening more beds. It would also include a mental transport vehicle and ensure that all ambulances are equipped with a mental liaison nurse in the control room to ensure that those who are experiencing mental distress are supported during emergency situations.
mini mental status assessment offers a variety of treatment options for mental health conditions. GPs typically have the ability to treat milder illnesses, however more serious conditions will require an expert team. These teams operate across community and primary mental health services, as well as the psychiatric hospitals. You can also seek assistance in a secure environment if you feel in crisis.
Talking therapies are among the most common types of treatment for anxiety and depression. Formerly known as IAPT These programs have seen the number of people who seek them increase every year since their introduction in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan commits to expanding these programs so that 1.9 million people will be able to use them in 2023/2024.
Psychiatric medicines are also a vital part of treatment. They can improve symptoms by altering how chemicals in your brain work. They can also be used to reduce the effects of other treatments. Your doctor will prescribe the appropriate medicine for you.
A variety of talk therapy treatments are available which include group therapy as well as individual therapy. Some of these therapies are delivered in-person, while others can be done online. Some patients prefer face-to-face treatment, but it is the choice of the patient. There are also a number of charities which offer classes and support groups like Mind. Their website contains a wealth of information that is reliable, however you must be aware of the fact that there's a lot of misleading or false information available on the internet regarding mental health issues.
While the NHS is working to improve its mental health services, it still struggles to cope with demand. There are 54 mental health trusts in the UK, and most of they receive funding from clinical commissioning groups to provide their service. They are usually located in a specific area, but can be commissioned to provide national services.
A key issue is the insufficient resources to meet the growing demand. There are concerns about the quality and shortage of nurses and psychiatrists. The NHS is working to improve these services by providing more training and introducing new ways of working. It also introduces safer and more effective ways to help people in crisis like mobile crisis teams and safe areas.
We are here to help you
Since the NHS launched 70 years ago, there have been many positive changes for people with mental health problems. The treatment options have gotten better and social barriers have been smashed down. However, there is much to do.
People who are in mental health issues should get the help they need quickly and easily. The NHS is striving to improve the quality of services so that people in need receive them. We will ensure that every acute hospital does not have a mental health liaison in A&E departments and wards for patients by 2020/21. 70% of these services will be in line with the "core 24" standard by 2023/24. Then we will work towards achieving 100% coverage afterward.
We will also expand community services, including talk therapy, in order to provide support for hundreds of thousands of people suffering from mental health issues regardless of whether they are serious or common. We will continue to work on our national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies program (IAPT) in order to ensure that more people suffering from mental health problems can be seen quicker by therapists who are qualified.
The NHS provides free, confidential helplines to anyone suffering from a mental health issue. They include the Samaritans, Mind and Rethink. These helplines are operated by trained volunteers. They offer the opportunity to talk with someone in a secure environment or provide guidance and information on how to deal with your mental health concerns.
In addition to that, there are a lot of local organisations which can provide assistance and support for those with mental health issues. These include self-help guides, strategies for coping and activities to try. Many of these organizations provide support groups in person to those who would prefer it.
The University's Open Door Team offers a drop-in counseling service for students who are experiencing stress or depression. There's also the Nightline student counselling service, which provides confidential listening and support from experienced volunteers, as well as information on other services. Charities like Mind and Rethink can provide an abundance of information and support both on the internet and in local groups. They can provide a variety of classes and activities, from mindfulness to art classes that are beneficial for those with mental health issues.
Referrals
With mental health services under pressure, GPs have to make difficult decisions regarding the services they will refer patients to. The GP will consider the medical history of the patient and refer them to services they believe can aid. They may send a referral to an NHS trust, or to an independent provider.
A mental health specialist will review the referral to determine if it is appropriate or not. If the specialist doesn't like the referral, they will contact the GP and explain why. They can also request the GP to provide more information or to alter the referral.
Referrals to the local Community Mental Health Team can be made through the NHS e-Referral Service. The system lets doctors and other healthcare professionals to refer patients to either a preliminary clinical assessment for mental health or directly to an appointment. Not all CMHTs offer both options and the system is not able to be used for all types of mental health referrals.
A GP can also refer a patient to a mental health specialist in the community service (CMT). They are typically run by a major local health organization or hospital. CMTs can be a good option for people who wish to see an experienced psychologist or psychiatrist, but do not require inpatient treatment. They can also provide an early intervention program, where a psychiatrist works with the therapist to help a person overcome a problem or improve their quality of life.
One of the biggest challenges that CMTs CMT is how to ensure that all referrals are allocated within an appropriate time frame. One of the issues is that a large number of referrals are deemed urgent, despite the fact that they might not be. This can lead to over-working and delays for people who aren't in a crisis.
To tackle this issue, certain CMHTs are working to establish more consistent standards for what is an urgent referral. This is being achieved through the use of an established referral form that requires a referrer consider whether the case is urgent. The proforma includes a box for the referrer to tick in the event that they believe that the referral is urgent.