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 has made the commitment to increase the investment in mental health services quicker than the NHS budget in general. This includes the work of a specialist in suicide prevention.
Get help
One of four people will be affected by mental illness at one point during their lives. The good news is there are many ways to get help, and many of us will improve with time. It is important to know what assistance is available and who can provide it.
You can get help from your GP or your local health center, or a mental health team within your community. These teams comprise of occupational and nurse psychotherapists, as well as speech therapists. They work with people who use their services. You can get individual or group therapy, based on the kind of help you require.
Your GP will usually ask you to fill in the form to make a referral to a local mental health team. They will also ask you to specify what kind of support you need. You will then be examined by someone from a mental health team that may comprise a psychiatrist psychologist or social worker. In certain instances, a clinical nurse specialist will carry out your assessment and treatment. You can call the NHS 111 helpline if you are in a crisis. If you already receive mental health support It is recommended to contact your regular team first, unless out of hours, on 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 teams will enhance the quality of mental health care provided to those in crisis, and provide support to patients in their own homes and communities instead of in hospitals.
The plan also aimed to provide crisis services to more people by reducing wait times and opening more beds. It also proposes the introduction of mental health transport vehicles and make sure that all ambulances have a mental health liaison nurse in their control rooms to improve the way that those suffering from mental health issues are helped in times of crisis.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a variety of treatment options for mental health issues. Less severe disorders are often treated by GPs, while more serious disorders require a specialist team. These teams operate across primary and community mental health services, and also mental health hospitals. You can also seek assistance in a secure environment should you be in a state of crisis.
Talking therapies are among the most commonly used forms of treatment for anxiety and depression. These programs, previously referred to as IAPT (Interactive Assessment and Psychotherapy), have seen their number of referrals increase each year since they introduced in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan commits to expanding these programs to ensure that 1.9 million people will be able to use them in 2023/2024.
Psychiatric medications are also an important part of treatment. They can alleviate symptoms by changing the way the brain's chemicals work. They can also be used to alleviate the side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will prescribe the right medication for you.
There are many different types of talk therapy, including group therapy and individual therapy. Some of these are delivered in person, but others are available online. Some patients prefer receiving treatment in person, but that is a personal preference. There are also a lot of charities that offer support groups and classes, such as Mind. Their website has a lot of trustworthy information, but you must be aware of the fact that there's lots of misleading or false information available on the internet regarding mental health issues.
While the NHS is working to improve its mental health services but it's still struggling to cope with demand. In the UK, there are 54 mental trusts. Most of them receive funding for their services from clinical commissioning groups. They are usually located in a specific region, but they can be commissioned to offer national services.
A key issue is the lack of resources to meet rising demand. There are also concerns over the quality of care, and a shortage of psychiatrists and nurses. The NHS is trying to improve the quality of care by providing more training and introducing new methods of working. It also introduces more secure and efficient methods to assist people in need including mobile crisis teams, as well as safe areas.
Helping you
Since the NHS was first introduced 70 years ago there have been positive developments for people suffering from mental health issues. Treatment options have gotten more diverse and social barriers are being broken down. However, there is much to do.
People who are experiencing mental illness need to receive the assistance they require quickly and easily. This is why the NHS is working hard to improve the quality of services for those who require these services. By 2020/21 we will ensure 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 standard of 24 by 2023/24. Then we will work towards 100 percent coverage.
We will also increase services for people who need them in the community, including therapy for talking, which will give thousands of more patients with severe or common mental health conditions the assistance they need. We will continue to develop the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme so that more people can be visited by therapists who are qualified, quicker.
The NHS offers confidential, free helplines to those suffering from mental health issues. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines available. These helplines are operated entirely by volunteers who provide a safe place to talk or provide advice and information on how to deal your mental health issues.
There are a variety of local organisations that can provide support and guidance to people who suffer from mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping techniques and other activities are available. private inpatient mental health facilities uk of these organisations also offer face-to-face support groups for those who would prefer this type of support.
The University's Open Door Team offers a drop-in counseling service for students struggling or stressed. There is also the Nightline student counselling service that provides confidential listening and support from skilled volunteers, or details about other services. Charities like Mind and Rethink can provide an abundance of information and assistance, both on the internet and in local groups. They offer a variety of activities and courses ranging including mindfulness classes to art classes, which can be beneficial for those suffering from mental health issues.
Making a referral
Mental health services are under pressure and GPs are forced to make difficult decisions about which specialist services they should refer their patients to. The GP will take a patient's medical history into consideration and then refer them to a service they believe can assist. They may send a referral either to an NHS trust or an independent provider.
A mental health specialist will then assess the referral and decide whether it's appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't pleased with the referral, they'll contact the GP to discuss their decision and explain the reasons. They might request the GP to modify the referral or ask for more details.
Referrals to a local Community Mental Health Team can be made through the NHS e-Referral Service. The system allows GPs as well as other healthcare professionals to refer patients to either a preliminary mental health clinical assessment or directly to an appointment with an outpatient. However, not all CMHTs offer both options and the system cannot be used for every type of mental health referral.
A doctor may also decide to refer a person to an expert community mental health service (CMT). These are usually run by a major local healthcare organisation or hospital. CMTs are a good choice for those who require to see a psychiatrist or psychologist, but do not require inpatient treatment. They can also offer an early intervention service in which psychiatrists work with a therapist in order to assist someone in overcoming an issue or improve the quality of their lives.
One of the biggest challenges that CMTs CMT is ensuring that all suitable referrals are made within an appropriate time frame. One of the issues is that many referrals are deemed urgent, even though they might not be. This can lead to delays and over-working for those who aren't in need.
To address this issue, some CMHTs have tried to establish more uniform standards for what constitutes a referral urgent. This was achieved by using a standardised form that asks the referrer to indicate if the case is urgent. The proforma has a box that the referrer is able to tick if the referral is urgent.