Mental Health Services on the NHS
There has been an enormous increase in people seeking treatment for mental health issues and the NHS has responded by offering services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan reaffirmed its commitment to increase investment in mental health services faster than overall NHS budget. This includes specialist work in suicide prevention.
Get assistance
One of four people will suffer from a mental illness at some time in their lives. The good news is that there are a variety of different ways to seek help, and most people recover with time. It is crucial to know what help is available and who can offer it.
You can seek help from a variety of sources such as your doctor (primary care medical doctor), your local health centre or a community mental health team. These teams comprise of occupational and nurse psychotherapists and speech therapists. They work with the patients who require their services. Based on the kind of help you require you could receive individual or group therapy.
Your GP will typically require you to fill out a form to make a referral to a local mental health team. They will also ask you to specify what you require in terms of support. You will be seen by an individual from an interdisciplinary team of mental health professionals, such as a psychologist, psychiatrist or social worker. In some instances a clinical nurse specialist will perform your assessment and treatment. You can call the NHS 111 helpline when you're in an emergency. If you already receive mental health services, it is best to contact your regular team first, unless outside of hours, or 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 linked to primary care networks. These teams will increase the quality of the mental health services provided to those in crisis, and offer support to patients within their communities and at home instead of in hospitals.
The plan also aimed at provide crisis services to more people by reducing waiting times and opening more beds. It would also include a mental transport vehicle and ensure that all ambulances are stocked with a mental liaison nurse within the control room to ensure that people experiencing a mental crisis are supported during emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS provides a wide range of treatment options for people suffering from mental health problems. GPs are usually able to treat milder disorders, but more serious illnesses will require a specialist team. These teams are spread across community and primary mental health services, and psychiatric hospitals. There are also safe places where you can seek assistance for those who are in a state of crisis.
Talking treatments for anxiety and depression are among the main treatments. These programs, previously known as IAPT (Interactive Assessment and Psychotherapy) have seen their referral numbers increase every year since they were 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 aspect of treatment. They can help alleviate symptoms by altering how the brain's chemicals function. They can also help reduce the side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will prescribe the best medication for you.
There are a variety of talk therapies, such as group therapy and individual therapy. Some of these are delivered in person, whereas others can be done via a remote device. Some patients prefer face-to-face treatment, but it's a matter of choice. Mind is one of the charities that provide support groups and courses. Their website has a lot of information that is reliable, however you must be aware of the fact that there's a lot of inaccurate or misleading information on the internet about mental health issues.
While the NHS is advancing its mental health services, it still struggles to keep up with demand. There are 54 mental health trusts across the UK, and most of are funded by clinical commissioning groups to provide their services. They are typically located in a specific area however, they are also able to be contracted to provide national services.
One of the main issues is the insufficient resources to meet the demands of the rising population. There are concerns about the quality and availability of nurses and psychiatrists. The NHS is working to improve the services by introducing new ways of working and offering more training. It is also introducing more secure and efficient methods to treat people in crisis including mobile crisis teams and secure places.
Supporting you
Since the NHS was first introduced 70 years ago there have been positive changes for those suffering from mental health issues. Treatment options have increased and social barriers are being taken down. But there is still more to be done.
Patients who are experiencing mental health issues must be able to get the help they need quickly and easily. The NHS is working to improve services to ensure that those in need are able to access them. By 2020/21, we will make sure that all acute hospitals have a mental-health liaison service, both in A&E and on wards for inpatients and that 70% will meet the core 24 standard by 2023/24. We will then strive to achieve 100% coverage.
We will also increase community services, including talk therapy, in order to provide support for 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 programme (IAPT) to ensure that more people suffering from mental health conditions can be seen more quickly by therapists who are qualified.
The NHS provides free, confidential helplines to anyone who is struggling with 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 offer guidance and information on how to manage your mental health issues.
In addition, there are a number of local organizations that can provide support and guidance to those suffering from mental health issues. private mental health assessment ireland -help guides, coping methods and activities can be included. Many of these organisations also offer support groups that meet face-to-face for those who prefer this option.
For students, there's the University's Open Door Team which offers a drop-in counselling service for those who feel down or stressed. There is also the Nightline student counselling service that provides confidential listening and support from experienced volunteers, or details about other services. Charities such as Mind and Rethink can provide an abundance of information and support, both on the internet and in local groups. They offer a variety of classes and activities, including mindfulness classes to art classes, which are useful for people with mental health issues.
Referrals
Mental health services are under strain and GPs must make difficult choices about the best specialist services to refer their patients to. The doctor will take the patient's medical history into account and then recommend them to a service they believe could be able to assist. They can send a referral either to an NHS trust, or to an independent provider.
A mental health professional will examine the referral to determine if it's appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't satisfied with the referral, they'll contact the GP and explain their reasons. They might also ask the GP to change the referral or request additional information.
Referrals to a local Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) may be made via the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS). The system allows GPs and other healthcare professionals to refer people to either a mental health assessment or directly to an outpatient appointment. Not all CMHTs offer both options, and the system can't be used for all kinds of mental health referrals.
A GP may refer a patient to a mental health specialist in the community service (CMT). These are usually operated by a large local healthcare organisation or a hospital. CMTs are a great alternative for those looking to consult with a seasoned psychologist or psychiatrist, but don't need inpatient treatment. They can also provide an early intervention program, where a psychiatrist will work with an counselor to help someone overcome a problem or improve their quality of life.
CMTs have the responsibility of ensuring that all referrals are received within a reasonable time frame. One of the challenges is that a large number of referrals are deemed as urgent, even though they may not be. This can cause people who aren't in crisis to be rushed and suffer delays.
To address this issue, some CMHTs are trying to establish more uniform standards for what is considered an urgent referral. This was achieved through a standardised form that asks the referrer if the situation is urgent. The form includes a box that the referrer has to check if the request is urgent.