Mental Health Services on the NHS
The NHS has responded to the rising number of mental health problems by offering services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan reaffirmed its commitment to boost investment in mental health services more quickly than the overall NHS budget. This will include specialized work in suicide prevention.
Get help
One in four of us will experience a mental health problem at some time in our lives. The good news is there are many avenues to seek help, and many of us will improve over time. It is crucial to know the types of help available and who can offer it.
You can seek help from a variety of places, including your GP (primary medical doctor who treats patients), your local health centre or a community mental health team. These teams consist of nurses, occupational therapists, psychotherapists and speech and language therapists who work with those who utilize the service. You can receive individual or group therapy depending on the kind of help you require.
Your doctor will typically require you to fill out the form so that they can refer you to a community mental health team. They will also ask what kind of support you need. You will be seen by members of a mental team which includes a psychologist, psychiatrist or social worker. In certain instances the clinical nurse specialist will conduct your assessment and treatment. You can contact the NHS 111 helpline when you're in a 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 set out plans to establish more multidisciplinary, place-based community mental health teams, with connections to primary care networks. These teams will enhance the quality of the care delivered to people experiencing a crisis, and will provide assistance to patients within their communities and at home rather than in hospitals.
The plan also aimed at provide crisis services to more people by reducing waiting times and allowing more beds. It would also include the mental transport vehicle and ensure that all ambulances are outfitted with a mental liaison nurse within the control room to improve how people experiencing a mental crisis are assisted in emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS provides a wide range of treatment options for people suffering from mental health problems. GPs are usually able to treat milder disorders, but more serious issues will require an expert team. These teams operate in both community and primary health services for mental health as well as psychiatric hospitals. There are also safe places where you can seek help when you're in a state of crisis.
Talking therapies are one of the most common types of treatment for anxiety and depression. Formerly known as IAPT These programs have seen referral numbers increase every year since their introduction in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan commits to expanding these programs so that 1.9 million people can access them by 2023/2024.
Psychiatric medications are also a vital component of treatment. They can improve symptoms through altering the way that chemicals function in your brain. They can also be used to ease side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will prescribe the appropriate medication for you.
A wide range of talking therapy treatments are available including group therapy and individual therapy. Some of these treatments are delivered in-person, while others are available remotely. Some patients prefer face-to-face treatment, but it is an individual choice. Mind is one of the organizations that offer support groups and courses. Their website has a lot of reliable information, but you must be aware of the fact that there's a lot of false or misleading information available on the internet regarding mental health issues.
While the NHS is advancing its mental health care but it's still struggling to meet the demands. In mental illness assessment there are 54 mental trusts. They receive the majority of funding for their services from the clinical commissioning group. They are usually located in a specific area however, they are also able to be commissioned to deliver national services.
The main issue is the insufficient resources to meet the demands of the rising population. There are concerns about the quality and shortage of psychiatrists and nurses. The NHS is trying to improve the quality of care by offering more training and introducing new methods of working. It is also introducing more secure and efficient methods to assist people in need including mobile crisis teams, as well as safe places.
Helping you
Since the NHS was established 70 years ago, there have been many positive changes for people with mental health issues. Treatment options have increased and social barriers are being taken down. But there is much more to be done.
People who are in mental health issues should get the help they need quickly and easily. This is why the NHS is putting in the effort to improve services for people who need these services. We will ensure that every acute hospital does not have a mental health liaison in A&E departments and inpatient wards by 2020/21, and that 70% of these services will be in line with the 'core 24' standard by 2023/24. We will work towards achieving 100% coverage afterward.
We will also increase services for people who need them in the community, such as therapy for talking, which will give hundreds of thousands more patients with severe or common mental health issues the help they need. We will continue to develop the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme so that more people are seen by qualified therapists, quicker.
The NHS provides free, confidential helplines for anyone struggling with a mental health issue. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines available. These helplines are operated by trained volunteers. They provide a safe space to talk, or offer guidance and information on how to manage your mental health concerns.
In addition to that, there are a lot of local organizations that provide assistance and support for people with mental health problems. These include self-help guides, coping strategies and activities to try. A lot of these organizations offer support groups that meet face-to-face for those who prefer this method.
For students, there is the University's Open Door Team which offers the opportunity to visit a counselling center for those who are feeling depressed or stressed. There's also the Nightline student counselling service, which offers confidential listening and support from skilled volunteers, or details on other services. Charities such as Mind and Rethink can provide many sources of information and assistance, both online and in local groups. They can also offer a variety of courses and activities, from mindfulness to art classes, which may be useful for people suffering from mental health problems.
Referring someone to you
Mental health services are under strain and GPs are forced to make difficult decisions about which specialist services they should refer their patients to. The GP will look at the medical history of the patient and recommend them to services they believe can help. They can 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 isn't satisfied with the referral, they'll contact the GP and explain their reasons. They may also request 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 using the NHS e-Referral Service. The system allows GPs and other healthcare professionals to refer people to either a pre-mental health clinical assessment or directly to an outpatient appointment. Not all CMHTs provide both options, and the system cannot be used for all kinds of mental health referrals.
A GP may also refer a patient to a mental health specialist in the community service (CMT). These are usually operated by a large local health organization or a hospital. CMTs are an excellent option for those who need to see a psychiatrist or psychologist, but do not require inpatient care. They can also provide an early intervention service in which psychiatrists work with a psychotherapist to help someone overcome a crisis or improve the quality of their lives.
CMTs have the responsibility of ensuring that all referrals are received within a reasonable time frame. One of the issues is that a lot of referrals are considered urgent, despite the fact that they may not be. assessment of mental health can lead to over-working and delays for people who aren't in a crisis.
To address this issue, a few CMHTs have tried to establish more uniform standards for what constitutes an urgent referral. This has been accomplished by using a standardised referral proforma that requires a referrer determine if the case is urgent. The form has a checkbox for the referrer to check when they believe that the referral is urgent.