20 Resources That Will Make You More Efficient With Mental Health Services NHS
Mental Health Services on the NHS
There has been a massive increase in people seeking help for Mental Health Assessment Report health issues and the NHS has responded by providing services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan reaffirmed its commitment to boost investment in mental healthcare services faster than overall NHS budget. This will include specialist work in suicide prevention.
Get help
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 options to seek assistance and the majority of us recover with time. It's important to understand what assistance is available and who can provide it.
You can seek help from a variety of places, including your GP (primary medical doctor who treats patients) as well as your local health center or a community mental health team. These teams are comprised of nurses, occupational therapists psychotherapists, psychotherapists and speech and language therapists who collaborate with people who use the service. Based on the kind of help you need you might be provided with individual or group therapy.
Your doctor will typically ask you to fill in a form to refer you to a local mental health team. They will also talk with you about the type of assistance you require. You will then be examined by a member of the mental health team, which could 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 immediate assistance. If you're already supported by mental health services, it's a good idea call your usual 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 detailed plans to establish multidisciplinary mental health teams in the community which are connected to primary care networks. These plans will aid in improving the quality of care delivered to people who are experiencing an illness of mental health and provide support in their homes and communities, rather than in hospital.
The plan also aims at making crisis services accessible by cutting down wait times and opening up 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 ensure that 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 problems. GPs are usually able to treat less severe disorders, but more serious illnesses will require an expert team. These teams work across primary and community mental health services and also mental health hospitals. There are also safe places where you can get help if you are feeling 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 introduced in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan has set the goal of expanding these services to 1.9 million people by 2023/2024.
Psychiatric medicines are another important part of treatment. They can alleviate symptoms by altering the way that chemicals function in your brain. They can be used to lessen the negative effects of other treatments. Your doctor will recommend the right medication for you.
A wide variety of talking therapy treatments are available including group therapy and individual therapy. Some of them are offered in person, while others are available remotely. Some patients prefer to receive treatment in person, but this is a personal decision. Mind is one of the charities that offer support groups and courses. The website contains a wealth of information that is trustworthy however, be aware of the fact that there are many false or misleading claims on the internet about mental health issues.
While the NHS is improving its mental health services, it still struggles to cope with demand. In the UK there are 54 mental trusts. The majority of them receive funding for their services from the clinical commissioning group. They are usually located in a specific area however, they are also able to be commissioned to deliver national services.
The main issue is the insufficient resources to meet the demands of the rising population. There are concerns about the quality and shortage of nurses and psychiatrists. The NHS is trying to improve these services by offering more training and developing new ways of working. It also offers safer and more effective methods of treating people in crisis. This includes mobile crisis teams and safe spaces.
Helping you
Since the NHS was established 70 years ago, there have been positive changes for people suffering from mental health issues. The treatment options have increased and social barriers have been smashed down. But there is still more to do.
People who are in mental illness need to get the help they need quickly and easily. The NHS is working to improve its services to ensure that those in need receive assistance. By 2020/21, we will make sure that all acute hospitals offer a mental health liaison service that is available in A&E as well as on wards for patients, and that 70% of these will meet the core 24 standard by 2023/24. Then we will strive for 100 percent coverage.
We will also extend services for those who require them in the community, which includes therapy for talking, which will give thousands of more people suffering from severe or common mental health conditions the assistance they require. We will continue to develop the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme so that more people can be visited by therapists who are qualified, more quickly.
The NHS offers confidential, no-cost helplines to those suffering from mental health issues. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines that are available. These helplines are run entirely by volunteers who provide an environment where you can talk to someone in a safe manner or offer advice and guidance on how to get a private mental health assessment to manage your mental health concerns.
In addition there are a variety of local organisations which can offer support and guidance for those with mental health issues. These can include self-help guides, coping strategies, and activities to try. Many of these organizations also provide support groups in person for those who prefer this method.
For students, there is the University's Open Door Team which offers the opportunity to visit a counselling center for those feeling down or stressed. Nightline is a student counseling service that provides confidential listening assistance, information and support from knowledgeable volunteers. Charities such as Mind and Rethink can provide many sources of information and support, both online and in local groups. They can provide a variety of activities and courses ranging including mindfulness classes to art classes that can be beneficial for those suffering from mental health issues.
Referring someone to you
Mental health services are under strain and GPs are forced to make difficult choices about which specialist services to refer their patients to. The GP will look at the patient's medical background and recommend them to services they believe will be able help. They might send a referral to an NHS trust or an independent provider.
A mental health specialist will examine the referral to determine if it is appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't satisfied with the referral, they'll call the GP and explain their reasons. They may request the GP to alter the referral or request additional information.
The ability to refer patients to a local Community Mental Health Team can be made through the NHS e-Referral Service. The system allows GPs as well as other health professionals to refer people to either a pre-mental health assessment or directly to an outpatient appointment. However not all CMHTs offer both options and the system can't be used for every type of mental health referral.
A GP may refer a patient to a community mental health specialist service (CMT). These are usually run either by an extensive hospital or a local healthcare organization. CMTs are a good choice for those who require to consult a psychologist or psychiatrist, but do not require inpatient treatment. They can also provide an early intervention service, where a psychiatrist collaborates with the counselor to help someone overcome a crisis or improve their quality of life.
CMTs are faced with the task of making sure that all referrals are received within a reasonable time frame. Many referrals are considered urgent, even though they might not be. This can lead people who aren't in a crisis to be overwhelmed and suffer delays.
To address this issue, a few CMHTs have tried to establish more uniform standards for what constitutes an urgent referral. This is being achieved by using an established referral form that requires a referrer to determine if the case is urgent. The proforma has a box that the referrer can tick to indicate if the referral is urgent.