Mental Health Services on the NHS
There has been a huge rise in people seeking help for mental health issues, and the NHS has responded by providing services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan reaffirmed its commitment to increase investment in mental health services faster than the overall NHS budget. This includes specialist work in suicide prevention.
Getting help
One of four people will be affected by a mental illness at some time in their lives. The good news is that there are many avenues to seek help, and most of us will be able to recover with time. However, it is important to know what help is available and who is able to provide it.
You can seek help from a variety places, including your doctor (primary care medical doctor), your local health center or a community mental health team. These teams are comprised of occupational therapists, nurses, psychotherapists and speech and language therapists who collaborate with people who use the service. Based on the kind of assistance you require you might be provided with 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 speak to you about the kind of help you need. You will then be seen by a member of the mental health team, which could include a psychiatrist, social worker or psychologist. In certain instances, your assessment and treatment will be carried out by a clinical nurse specialist. You can contact the NHS 111 helpline when you're in an emergency. If you're already being supported by mental health services it's a good idea to contact your regular team first, unless it's outside of the normal hours, a weekend or on a bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health included plans to establish more multidisciplinary, community-based, place-based mental health teams with links to primary care networks. These will help to improve the quality of care provided to those experiencing a mental health crisis. They will also offer assistance in their homes and communities rather than in hospitals.
The plan also aimed at help make crisis services more accessible by reducing waiting times and allowing more beds. It also proposes the mental transport vehicle and ensure that all ambulances are stocked with a mental liaison nurse within the control room to improve how patients who are suffering from mental illness are assisted in emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a range of treatment options to treat mental health issues. Disorders that are less severe are usually treated by GPs, while more serious conditions require specialists. These teams operate across community and primary mental health services as well as mental health hospitals. You can also seek assistance in a secure space if you feel in crisis.
Talking therapies for depression and anxiety are one of the main types of treatment. These programs, previously known as IAPT (Interactive Assessment and Psychotherapy) have seen their numbers of clients increase each year since they were launched in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan commits to expanding these programs so that 1.9 million people will be able to use them in 2023/2024.
The use of psychiatric medication is also a crucial element of treatment. They can alleviate symptoms by changing the way the brain's chemicals work. They can also be used to reduce the effects of other treatments. Your doctor will recommend the right medication for you.
There are many different types of talk therapies, such as group therapy and individual therapy. Some of these therapies are delivered in person, while others are available online. Some patients prefer face to face treatment, but it is the choice of the patient. There are also a number of charities which offer classes and support groups, such as Mind. The website contains a wealth of information that is trustworthy, but be aware that there are numerous false or misleading statements on the internet regarding mental health issues.
The NHS is working to improve the quality of mental health care, but it struggles to meet the demands. In the UK there are 54 mental trusts. They receive the majority of funding for their services from clinical commissioning groups. They usually are located in a particular region however they can also be contracted to provide national services.
The lack of resources is a major problem. There are also concerns about the quality of care and a shortage of nurses and psychiatrists. The NHS is working to improve these services by offering more training and introducing new methods of working. It is also introducing safer and more effective ways to assist people in need like mobile crisis teams and safe places.
Helping you
Since the NHS was first introduced 70 years ago, there are positive changes for those 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 experiencing mental health problems need to be able to get the assistance they require quickly and easily. This is why the NHS is putting in the effort to improve the quality of services for those who need them. By 2020/21, we will make sure that all acute hospitals offer a mental health liaison service that is available in A&E and on inpatient wards, and that 70% will meet the core 24 standard by 2023/24. Then we will work towards 100 percent coverage.
We will also expand services for the community, such as talking therapy, to provide support for hundreds of thousands of individuals suffering from mental health issues, whether they are severe or common. We will continue to work on the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme so that more people can be treated by trained therapists faster.
The NHS offers confidential, free helplines to those suffering from mental health issues. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines that are available. These helplines are operated entirely by volunteers who provide the opportunity to talk in a secure environment or give advice and information on how to deal your mental health concerns.
There are a variety of local organizations that provide assistance and support to those with mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping strategies and other activities are available. Many of these organisations offer face-toface support groups to those who prefer it.
The University's Open Door Team offers a drop-in counseling service for students who are experiencing stress or depression. Nightline is a student counselling service that offers private listening, support and information from experienced volunteers. Iam Psychiatry as Mind and Rethink are a excellent source of information and provide support in a variety of ways that include online and through local groups. They also provide a variety of classes and activities, from mindfulness to art classes which can be helpful for people who suffer from mental health problems.
Referrals
With mental health services under pressure, GPs are having to make difficult choices about which specialist services they can refer patients to. The GP will look at the patient's medical background and refer them to services they believe will be able to help. They may refer a patient to an NHS trust or an independent service.
A mental health specialist will examine the referral to determine if the referral is appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't happy with the referral, they'll contact the GP to discuss their decision and explain the reason. They could also ask the GP to modify the referral or request additional details.
Referrals to a local Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) can be made through the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS). The system allows doctors and other healthcare professionals direct patients to a preliminary assessment for mental health or directly to an appointment. Not all CMHTs provide both options, and the system is not able to be used for all kinds of mental health referrals.
A GP may decide to refer a patient to a specialized community mental health service (CMT). These are usually run either by an enormous hospital or a local health care organization. CMTs are an excellent option for those who need to see a psychiatrist or psychologist but don't require inpatient treatment. They also provide an early intervention program where psychiatrists work with a therapy therapist to help someone overcome an issue or improve the quality of their life.
CMTs are faced with the task of ensuring that all referrals are received within a reasonable time. One of the issues is that a lot of referrals are deemed urgent, despite the fact that they might not be. This can lead to over-working and delays for people who are not in crisis.
To address this issue certain CMHTs are working to establish more consistent guidelines for what is an urgent referral. This was accomplished by using a standardised form that asks the referrer if they believe the situation is urgent. The proforma includes a box that the referrer can tick when they believe the referral is urgent.