Mental Health Services on the NHS
The NHS has responded to the rising number of mental health issues by providing services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan reaffirmed its commitment to invest more in mental health services more quickly than overall NHS budget. This will include specialist work in suicide prevention.
Get help
One of four people will be affected by a mental illness at some time in their lives. The good news is there are many ways to get help, and many of us will improve over time. It is important to know the types of help available and who can provide it.
You can seek help from your doctor or your local health center or mental health team in your community. These teams consist of nurses, occupational therapists, psychotherapists and speech and language therapists who collaborate with people who use the service. You can receive individual or group therapy based on the type of assistance you need.
You will be asked to fill out a form from your GP so that they can refer you to a mental health service in the community. They will also talk with you about what kind of help you require. Then, you will be viewed by someone from a mental health team, which may include a psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker. In certain instances, a clinical nurse specialist will carry out your assessment and treatment. If you're in a crisis, you can call the NHS 111 helpline for urgent support. If you already receive mental health services, it is best to call your usual team first, unless outside of hours, or on a weekend, or a bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health set out plans to establish more place-based, multidisciplinary community mental health teams, with connections to primary care networks. They will improve the quality of the care provided to those suffering from a mental health crisis. They will also provide support in their homes and communities instead of in hospitals.
The plan aims to make crisis services accessible by decreasing waiting times and opening more beds. It would also introduce an ambulance for mental health and ensure that all ambulances are equipped with an individual who is a mental liaison nurse in the control room to ensure that people experiencing a mental crisis are assisted in emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a range of treatment options for mental health issues. Less severe disorders are often treated by GPs however more severe conditions require a specialist team. These teams are spread across both community and primary mental health services, and psychiatric hospitals. You can also seek assistance in a safe space when you are in a crisis.
Talking therapies are among the most popular 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 programs to 1.9 million people by 2023/2024.
Psychiatric drugs are a different aspect of treatment. They can help alleviate symptoms by changing the way the brain's chemicals function. They can also help reduce the effects of other treatments. Your doctor will recommend the right medication for you.
A wide range of talking therapy options are available including group therapy and individual therapy. Some of these therapies can be delivered in person, while others can be done remotely. Some patients prefer face to face treatment, but it's an individual choice. There are also a number of charities which offer support groups and courses like Mind. The site is full of information that is reliable however, be aware of the fact that there are many false or misleading statements on the internet regarding mental health issues.
While the NHS is working to improve its mental health care however, it is still struggling to cope with demand. In the UK, there are 54 mental trusts. The majority of them receive funding from the clinical commissioning groups. They are typically located in a specific region, but can be commissioned to provide national services.
One of the main issues is the lack of resources to meet the demands of the rising population. There are also concerns about the quality of care, and a shortage of nurses and psychiatrists. The NHS is trying to improve the quality of care by introducing new ways of work and providing more training. It also introduces safer and more effective ways to help people in crisis including mobile crisis teams and secure areas.
Supporting you
Since the NHS was established 70 years ago, there have been many positive developments for people suffering from mental health problems. The treatment options have gotten better and social barriers have been broken down. But there is still more to do.
People experiencing mental health problems must be able to get the assistance they require quickly and easily. That's why the NHS is putting in the effort to improve services for people who need them. We will ensure that no acute hospital does not have the mental health liaison service in A&E departments and wards for patients by 2020/21. We will also ensure that 70 percent of these services will meet the "core here 24" standard by 2023/24. Then we will work towards 100% coverage thereafter.
We will also extend services for people who need them in the community, including psychotherapy, in order to provide thousands of more people suffering from severe or common mental health conditions the assistance they need. We will continue to develop our national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies program (IAPT) to ensure that more people suffering from mental health conditions are seen faster by trained therapists.
The NHS offers confidential, no-cost assistance to anyone suffering from mental health issues. They include the Samaritans, Mind and Rethink. These helplines are operated by trained volunteers and provide the opportunity to talk with someone in a secure environment or provide information and advice on how to deal with your mental health issues.
There are also a number local organizations that provide assistance and support to those who suffer from mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping strategies and activities can be included. A lot of these organizations offer support groups that meet face-to-face for those who prefer this method.
The University's Open Door Team offers a drop-in counseling service for students experiencing stress or depression. There is 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 are a great source of information and offer support in many forms that include online and through local groups. They can also offer a variety of classes website and activities, ranging from mindfulness to art groups, which may be useful for people suffering from mental health problems.
Making a referral
With mental health services under pressure, GPs are having to make difficult decisions regarding what specialist services they should refer patients to. The GP will take a patient's medical history into consideration and then refer them to a specialist they believe could be able to assist. They may send a referral to an NHS trust or an independent service.
A mental health professional will then review the referral and decide whether it's appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't satisfied with the referral, they'll contact the GP to discuss their decision and explain the reasons. They may also ask the GP for more information or to alter the referral.
The ability to refer patients to the local Community Mental Health Team can be made through the NHS e-Referral Service. The system permits GPs and other healthcare professionals to refer people to either a pre-mental health assessment or directly to an outpatient appointment. However not all CMHTs check here provide both options, and the system isn't able to be used for every kind of mental health referral.
A GP may also refer a patient to a mental health specialist in the community service get more info (CMT). These are usually run by a major local health organization or hospital. CMTs are a good choice for those who need to visit a psychologist or psychiatrist but do not require inpatient treatment. They can also provide an early intervention service where a psychiatrist will work with read more an counselor to help someone overcome a problem or improve their quality of life.
One of the biggest challenges that a CMT is to ensure that all referrals are assigned within an appropriate time frame. One of the issues is that a large number of 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 tackle this issue, some CMHTs have attempted to establish more uniform standards for what constitutes a referral urgent. This was achieved through a standardised form which asks the referrer to indicate if the case is urgent. The form includes a box that the referrer can tick in the event that they believe the referral is urgent.