Mental Health Services on the NHS
The NHS has responded to the increase 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 overall NHS budget. This will include the work of a specialist in suicide prevention.
Getting help
One of four people will suffer from mental illness at some point during their lives. The good news is that there are a variety of different ways to get assistance and the majority of us recover after a while. But it's important to know what assistance is available, and who can provide it.
You can seek help from a variety of places like your GP (primary medical doctor who treats patients), your local health center or a community mental health team. These teams consist of nurses, occupational therapists, psychotherapists and speech and language therapists who work together with people who use the service. You can get individual or group therapy, based on the type of assistance you require.
You will be asked to complete a form with your GP so that they can refer you to a mental health service in the community. They will also talk to you about the kind of help you need. You will be seen by an individual from the mental team like psychologist, psychiatrist or social worker. In some cases, your assessment and treatment will be conducted by a specialist in clinical nursing. If you are experiencing crisis, call the NHS 111 helpline for urgent support. If you're already being supported by mental health services, it's a good idea contact your regular team first unless it's out of the normal hours, 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 that are linked to primary care networks. These teams will increase the quality of the care that is provided to those who are in a crisis, and will provide assistance to patients within their communities and at home rather than in hospitals.
The plan also aims at making crisis services more accessible by decreasing wait times and allowing more beds. It also proposes the introduction of mental health transport vehicles and ensure that every ambulance has a mental health liaison nurse in their control rooms to improve the way that those suffering from a mental health crisis are supported in emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a variety of treatment options for mental health conditions. GPs are usually able to treat less severe conditions, but more severe issues will require the assistance of a specialist team. These teams are located in community and primary health services for mental health and psychiatric hospitals. You can also seek assistance in a secure space when you are in a crisis.
Talking therapies are among the most commonly used forms of treatment for depression and anxiety. Previously known as IAPT, these programs have seen the number of people who seek them increase each year since their launch in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan has set the goal of expanding these services to 1.9 million people by 2023/2024.
Psychiatric medications are another crucial aspect of treatment. They can improve symptoms by altering the way the brain's chemicals function. They can also help ease side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will prescribe the best medication for you.
There are a variety of talking therapies, including individual therapy and group therapy. Some of them are offered in person, whereas others can be done via a remote device. Some patients prefer face-to face treatment, but it is an individual choice. Mind is one of the charities that provide support groups and classes. Their website contains a wealth of reliable information, but you should be aware that there is plenty of false or misleading information available on the internet regarding mental health issues.
The NHS is improving mental health care but it's struggling to meet the demands. In the UK there are 54 mental trusts. They receive the majority of funding for their services from clinical commissioning group. They are typically located in a specific region however, they can also be commissioned to provide national services.
A key issue is the insufficient resources to meet the demands of the rising population. There are also concerns over our homepage of care, and a shortage of psychiatrists and nurses. click this is working to improve these services by providing more training and introducing new ways of working. It also introduces safer and more effective ways to treat people in crisis including mobile crisis teams and safe areas.
We are here to help you
Since the NHS was launched 70 years ago there have been a lot of 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 suffering from mental illness need to get the help they need quickly and easily. The NHS is working to improve services to ensure that those in need can get help. We will ensure that no acute hospital is without a mental health liaison in A&E departments and wards for inpatients by 2020/21. 70% of these services will meet the "core 24" standard by 2023/24. Then we will work towards a 100% coverage rate after that.
We will also increase community services, including talk therapy, to offer assistance to hundreds of thousands of individuals suffering from mental health issues, whether they are serious or common. We will continue to work on our national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies program (IAPT) in order to ensure that more people with mental health problems are seen faster by qualified therapists.
The NHS offers free, confidential helplines to anyone struggling with mental health issues. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines available. These helplines are operated by trained volunteers. They provide an environment where you can talk in a safe manner or provide advice and information on how to tackle your mental health concerns.
There are also a number local organisations that can provide support and guidance to people who suffer from mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping methods and activities can be included. Many of these organisations also provide support groups in person for those who prefer this method.
For students, there's the University's Open Door Team which offers an opportunity to consult with a counsellor at any time for those who feel low or stressed. There is also the Nightline student counselling service that offers confidential listening and support from knowledgeable volunteers, as well as information on other services. Charities like Mind and Rethink are a excellent source of information and can provide support in a variety of ways such as online and through local groups. They can offer a range of classes and activities, including mindfulness classes to art classes, which can be beneficial for those suffering from mental health issues.
Making a referral
With mental health services under pressure, GPs have to make difficult choices about what specialist services they should refer patients to. The doctor will take the patient's medical history into account and then recommend them to a service they believe will be able to help. 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 isn't happy with the referral they will contact the GP to discuss their decision and provide the reason. They may request the GP to modify the referral or request additional details.
Referrals to a local Community Mental Health Team can be made using the NHS e-Referral Service. The system permits GPs and other healthcare professionals to refer people to either a preliminary mental health clinical assessment service or directly to an outpatient appointment. However, not all CMHTs provide both options, and the system isn't able to be used for every kind of mental health referral.
A GP might decide to refer a patient to a specialized community mental health service (CMT). These are usually run either by an extensive hospital or a local health care organization. CMTs are an excellent option for those who have to consult a psychologist or psychiatrist, but do not require inpatient treatment. They also offer an early intervention service, where a psychiatrist collaborates with the counselor to help someone overcome a problem or improve their quality of life.
One of the biggest challenges faced by CMTs CMT is ensuring that all referrals are allocated within the proper time frame. One of the challenges is that a large number of referrals are deemed as urgent, even though they might not be. This can lead to delays and over-working for people who aren't in need.
To tackle this issue, a few CMHTs have tried to establish more uniform guidelines for what constitutes an urgent referral. This has been accomplished through the use of the standardised referral forma that requires a referrer consider whether the case is urgent. The form includes a box that the referrer can tick in the event that they believe the referral is urgent.