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 reaffirmed its commitment to invest more in mental healthcare services faster than overall NHS budget. This will include specialist work in suicide prevention.
Need help?
One of four of us will have mental health issues at some point in our lives. The good news is that there are a variety of different ways to get help, and most people recover after a while. It's important to understand what help is available and who can offer it.
You can seek help from your GP or the local health center or a mental health team within your local area. These teams are comprised of nurses, occupational and psychotherapists and speech therapists. They work with the clients who seek their services. Based on the kind of help you require you could receive individual or group therapy.
You will be asked to fill out a form from your doctor so that they can refer you to a mental health service in the community. They will also ask you what kind of support you need. Then, you will be viewed by a member of a mental health team that may include a psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker. In some cases a clinical nurse specialist will conduct your assessment and treatment. You can call the NHS 111 helpline for assistance if you're in crisis. If mental health assessment cost receive mental health services 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 outlined plans to create more multidisciplinary, community-based, place-based mental health teams, with connections to primary care networks. These will help to improve the quality of the care given to those experiencing a mental health crisis. They will also offer assistance in their homes and communities instead of in hospitals.
The plan also aimed at make crisis services more accessible by reducing waiting times and opening more beds. It would also introduce mental health transport vehicles, and ensure that all ambulances have a mental health liaison nurse in their control rooms to improve the way people suffering from a mental health crisis are helped in times of crisis.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a wide array of treatment options for people suffering from mental health problems. GPs typically have the ability to treat less severe illnesses, however more serious illnesses will require the assistance of a specialist team. These teams work across community and primary mental health services, as well as psychiatric hospitals. You can also seek help in a secure space when you are in a crisis.
Talking treatments for anxiety and depression are among the most popular types of treatment. These programs, formerly known as IAPT (Interactive Assessment and Psychotherapy) have seen their numbers of clients increase each year since they were first introduced 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 part 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 best medicine for you.
A wide variety of talking therapy options are available which include group therapy as well as individual therapy. Some of these therapies are delivered in-person, while others can be performed online. Some patients prefer receiving treatment in person, but that is a personal choice. There are a variety of charities that offer support groups and classes like Mind. The site contains a wealth of information that is reliable however, be aware of the fact that there are a lot of false or misleading statements that are posted on the internet about mental health issues.
The NHS is improving the quality of mental health care, but it struggles to meet the demand. There are 54 mental health trusts in the UK and the majority of they receive funding from clinical commissioning groups to deliver their service. They are usually located in a particular region however, they are also able to be commissioned to deliver national services.
The absence of resources is a major problem. There are concerns about the quality and availability of nurses and psychiatrists. The NHS is striving to improve its services by introducing new ways of work and delivering more training. It also offers more secure and efficient methods to treat those who are in crisis. These include mobile crisis teams and secure spaces.
We are here to help you
Since the NHS was established 70 years ago there have been positive changes for people suffering from mental health issues. Treatment options have gotten more diverse and social barriers are being taken down. But there's still a lot to do.
People who are experiencing mental illness need to get the help they need quickly and easily. This is why the NHS is putting in the effort to improve the quality of services for those who need them. In 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 core 24 standard by 2023/24. We will then strive to achieve 100 percent coverage.
We will also increase services for the community, such as talking therapy, to provide support for hundreds of thousands of people suffering from mental health problems regardless of whether they are common or severe. We will continue to work on the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) program to ensure that more people are visited by therapists who are qualified, quicker.
The NHS provides confidential, free helplines to anyone struggling with mental health issues. These include the Samaritans, Mind and Rethink. These helplines are operated by trained volunteers and provide a safe space to talk, or offer guidance and information on how to tackle your mental health issues.
There are also a number local organizations that can offer assistance and support to those with mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping methods and activities can be included. Many of these organizations offer face-toface support groups to those who would prefer it.
The University's Open Door Team offers a drop-in counseling service for students struggling or stressed. Nightline is a student counselling service that offers private listening, support and information from knowledgeable volunteers. Charities such as Mind and Rethink can provide many sources of information and support both online and in local groups. They also provide many classes and activities, from mindfulness to art classes that could be beneficial for those living with mental health issues.
Referring someone to you
With mental health services under pressure, GPs have to make difficult decisions about which specialist services they can refer patients to. The GP will consider the medical history of the patient and recommend them to services they believe can assist. They can refer a patient either to an NHS trust, or an independent provider.
A mental health specialist will then assess the referral and decide if it's appropriate or not. If the specialist doesn't like the referral, they will contact the GP and explain why. They may also ask the GP to alter the referral or ask for more details.
The ability to refer patients 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 an initial clinical assessment for mental health or directly to an appointment. Not all CMHTs provide both options, and the system can't be used for all kinds of mental health referrals.
A doctor may refer a patient to a community mental health specialist service (CMT). These are usually run either by a large hospital or local healthcare organization. CMTs can be a good option for those who want to consult with a seasoned psychologist or psychiatrist, but don't require inpatient care. They can also provide an early intervention program where a psychiatrist works with a psychotherapist to assist someone in overcoming an issue or improve the quality of their lives.
One of the biggest challenges that a CMT is ensuring that all referrals are made within the appropriate timeframe. Many referrals are considered urgent, even if they may not be. This can lead to delays and over-working for those who aren't in need.
To address this issue, certain CMHTs are working to establish more uniform guidelines for what constitutes an urgent referral. This is being achieved through the use of an established referral form that requires the referrer to consider whether the case is urgent. The form has a checkbox that the referrer is able to tick to indicate if the referral is urgent.