Mental Health Services on the NHS
There has been a huge increase in people seeking treatment for mental health issues and the NHS has responded by offering services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan has made a renewed commitment to grow the investment in mental health services more quickly than the NHS budget overall. This will include specialist work in suicide prevention.
Need help?
One in four people will suffer from mental illness at one time in their lives. The good news is that there are many ways to get assistance, and the majority of us will improve with time. However, it is important to know what help is available, and who can offer it.
You can get help from your physician, your local health center or a mental health team in your community. These teams comprise of nurses, occupational and psychotherapists, as well as speech therapists. They work with patients who require their services. Depending on the type of assistance you require, you may be offered individual or group therapy.
Your doctor will typically ask you to fill in a form so that they can refer you to a community mental health team. They will also ask you what kind of support you need. You will be assessed by an individual from the mental team like a psychologist, psychiatrist or social worker. In some instances your evaluation and treatment will be carried out by a nurse specialist. You can call the NHS 111 helpline when you're in an emergency. If you are already receiving mental health support, it is best to call your usual team first, unless it's out of hours, on a weekend or a bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health detailed plans to create multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals in the community which are connected to primary care networks. They will improve the quality of care that is given to those experiencing a mental health crisis. They will also offer assistance in their homes and communities rather than in hospitals.
The plan also aims to make crisis services more accessible by cutting down waiting times and opening more beds. It would also include the mental transport vehicle and ensure that all ambulances are stocked with a mental liaison nurse in the control room to improve how patients who are suffering from mental illness are assisted in emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a wide array of treatment options for mental health issues. The less severe disorders are typically treated by GPs, while more severe conditions require specialists. These teams are spread across community and primary mental health services, and psychiatric hospitals. There are also safe places where you can seek help when you're in a crisis.
Talking therapies are among the most commonly used forms of treatment for anxiety and depression. Previously known as IAPT These programs have seen the number of people who seek them increase each year since their introduction in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan has committed to expanding these services to 1.9 million people by 2023/2024.
The use of psychiatric medication is also a vital part of treatment. They can improve symptoms by altering the way the brain's chemicals function. They can also help reduce the effects of other treatments. Your doctor will recommend a medicine that is right for you.
A variety of talk therapy treatments are available which include group therapy as well as individual therapy. Some of these are delivered in person, whereas others are available online. Some patients prefer receiving treatment in person, but that is a personal preference. Mind is one of the charities that offer support groups and classes. The site is full of information that is trustworthy but you should be aware that there are numerous false or misleading statements that are posted on the internet regarding mental health issues.
While the NHS is working to improve its mental health care but it's still struggling to meet the demands. In the UK, there are 54 mental trusts. Most of them receive funding from the clinical commissioning group. They typically are located in a specific region however, they can also be commissioned to deliver national services.
The main issue is the insufficient resources to meet rising demand. There are mental health assessment report about the quality of care and the shortage of nurses and psychiatrists. 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 efficient and safer methods to assist people in need including mobile crisis teams, as well as safe places.
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 still more to do.
People who are experiencing mental illness need to receive the help they require quickly and easily. That's why the NHS is working hard to improve services for people who require these services. We will ensure that no acute hospital is without a mental health liaison in A&E departments and inpatient wards by 2020/21, and that 70 percent of these services will meet the "core 24" standard by 2023/24, working towards 100% coverage thereafter.
We will also expand services for people who need them in the community, including psychotherapy, in order to provide thousands of more people with common or severe mental health issues the help they need. We will continue to work on the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme so that more people are visited by therapists who are qualified, quicker.
The NHS provides free, confidential helplines to anyone struggling with a mental health issue. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines available. These helplines are run by trained volunteers and provide an environment where you can talk in a safe manner or provide advice and information on how to deal with your mental health issues.
There are a variety of local organizations that can offer support and guidance to people who suffer from mental health issues. They can provide self-help guides, coping strategies, and activities to try. A lot of these organizations provide support groups in person for those who prefer this option.
For students, there's the University's Open Door Team which offers the opportunity to visit a counselling center for those who are feeling down or stressed. There's also the Nightline student counselling service, which provides confidential listening and support from experienced volunteers, or details on other services. Charities such as Mind and Rethink can provide a wealth of information and support both online and in local groups. They also offer a variety of classes and activities, ranging from mindfulness to art groups, which may be useful for people suffering from mental health problems.
Referring someone to you
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 into consideration the patient's medical background and recommend them to services they believe can aid. They can send a referral to an NHS trust, or an independent provider.
A mental health specialist will then review the referral and decide whether it's appropriate or not. If the specialist doesn't like the referral, they'll contact the GP and explain the reasons. They could also ask the GP to change the referral or ask for more details.
The ability to refer patients to a local Community Mental Health Team can be made via the NHS e-Referral Service. The system allows doctors and other healthcare professionals send patients to either an initial clinical assessment service for mental health or directly to an appointment. Not all CMHTs provide both options, and the system cannot be used for all kinds of mental health referrals.
mental health assessment report may also refer patients to a mental health specialist in the community service (CMT). These are usually operated by a large local healthcare organisation or hospital. CMTs are a great option for those who have to visit a psychologist or psychiatrist but don't require inpatient treatment. They can also provide an early intervention service where psychiatrists collaborate with therapy therapist to assist someone in overcoming any crisis or improve the quality of their lives.
One of the major challenges that a CMT is how to ensure that all appropriate referrals are assigned within an appropriate time frame. Many referrals are deemed urgent even though they may not be. This can result in over-working and delays for people who aren't in a crisis.
To address this issue certain CMHTs are working to establish more consistent standards for what constitutes an urgent referral. This is being achieved through the use of the standardised referral forma that requires a referrer determine if the case is urgent. The form includes a box that the referrer can tick if they feel that the referral is urgent.