Mental Health Services on the NHS
The NHS has responded to the rise in mental health issues by offering services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan reaffirmed its commitment to invest more in mental health services faster than the overall NHS budget. This includes the work of a specialist in suicide prevention.
Get assistance
One out of four people will suffer from a mental illness at some time in their lives. The good news is that there are many ways to get assistance, and the majority of us will be able to recover over time. It's important to understand the types of help available and who can offer it.
You can seek assistance from your GP, your local health center or a mental health team in your area. These teams comprise of nurses, occupational and speech therapists, and psychotherapists. They collaborate with patients who require their services. Depending on the type of help you need you could receive individual or group therapy.
You will be asked to fill out a form by your GP so they can refer you to a mental health team in the community. They will also ask you what you require in terms of support. You will be seen by an individual from the mental team which includes psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker. In some instances the clinical nurse specialist will perform your assessment and treatment. If you're in a crisis, you can contact the NHS 111 helpline for urgent support. If you are already receiving mental health support, it is best to contact your primary team first, unless it's out of office hours, on a weekend or 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 will help to improve the quality of the care given to those experiencing a mental health crisis and offer assistance within their communities and homes, rather than in hospital.
The plan also aims to make crisis services more accessible by cutting down wait times and opening up more beds. It would also introduce a mental transport vehicle and ensure that all ambulances are equipped with a mental liaison nurse in the control room to improve how patients who are suffering from mental illness are supported during emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a variety of treatment options to treat mental health conditions. Less severe disorders are often treated by GPs however more serious conditions require specialists. These teams are located in both community and primary mental healthcare services as well as psychiatric hospitals. There are also safe spaces where you can seek help if you are feeling in crisis.
Talking therapies are one of the most common types of treatment for depression and anxiety. Previously known as IAPT These programs have seen referral numbers 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 in 2023/2024.
Psychiatric medications are also a vital element of treatment. They can alleviate symptoms by altering how the brain's chemicals function. They can also be used to reduce the side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will recommend the best medication for you.
A variety of talk therapy options are offered including group therapy and individual therapy. Some of these treatments are delivered in person, while others can be done remotely. Some patients prefer face to face treatment, but it's a matter of choice. There are a variety of charities which offer support groups and classes like Mind. The website contains a wealth of reliable information however, be aware of the fact that there are a lot of false or misleading statements on the internet concerning mental health issues.
While the NHS is advancing its mental health care, it still struggles to keep up with demand. There are 54 mental health trusts across the UK and the majority of are funded by clinical commissioning groups to provide their service. They typically are located in a particular region, but can be commissioned to provide national services.
The shortage of resources is a major issue. There are concerns about the quality and availability of nurses and psychiatrists. online mental health assessment is striving to improve its services by introducing new ways of work and providing more training. It also offers more secure and efficient methods of treating those who are in crisis. This includes mobile crisis teams, as well as safe space.
Helping you
Since the NHS was established 70 years ago, there have been positive developments for those suffering from mental health issues. The options for treatment have grown and social barriers have been broken down. But there is more to be done.
People who are experiencing a mental crisis need to receive the assistance they require quickly and easily. That's why the NHS is working hard to improve services for people who need these services. By 2020/21 we will ensure that all acute hospitals have a mental-health liaison service both in A&E and on inpatient wards and that 70% of them will meet the standard of 24 by 2023/24. Then we will work towards 100 percent coverage.
We will also expand services for the community, such as talking 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) to ensure that more people with mental health conditions are seen faster by trained therapists.
The NHS offers confidential, no-cost helplines to those suffering from mental health issues. These include the Samaritans, Mind and Rethink. These helplines are operated by trained volunteers. They provide a safe space to talk or give advice and information on how to manage your mental health concerns.
Additionally to that, there are a lot of local organisations which can provide support and guidance to people with mental health problems. Self-help guides, coping strategies and activities can be included. 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 feeling down or stressed. Nightline is a student counseling service that offers confidential listening as well as information and support from experienced volunteers. Charities like Mind and Rethink are a great source of information. They can offer support in many forms that include online and through local groups. They can provide a variety of classes and activities, including mindfulness classes to art classes, which are useful for people with mental health issues.
Making a referral
With mental health services under pressure, GPs have to make difficult choices about the services they will refer patients to. The GP will take a patient's medical history into consideration and then refer them to a service they think can assist. They can refer a patient either to an NHS trust, or to an independent provider.
A mental health specialist will examine the referral to determine if it's appropriate or not. If the specialist doesn't like the referral, they will contact the GP and explain the reasons. They could request the GP to change the referral or request more details.
Referrals to a local Community Mental Health Team can be made using the NHS e-Referral Service. The system allows doctors and other healthcare professionals send patients to either a preliminary assessment service for mental health or directly to an appointment. Not all CMHTs offer both options and the system can't be used for all types of mental health referrals.
A GP might also decide to refer a patient to a specialist community mental health service (CMT). They are usually managed by a large hospital or local healthcare organisation. CMTs are a great option for people who wish to consult with a seasoned psychologist or psychiatrist, but don't require inpatient care. They also offer an early intervention service where a psychiatrist will work with the therapist to help a person overcome a problem or improve their life quality.
CMTs are faced with the task of ensuring that all referrals are received within a reasonable 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 overwhelmed and suffer delays.
To tackle this issue, a few CMHTs have tried to establish more uniform standards for what constitutes an urgent referral. This has been achieved by using the standardised referral forma that requires a referrer to determine if the case is urgent. The proforma includes a box for the referrer to tick if they feel the referral is urgent.