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 more quickly than overall NHS budget. This includes special suicide prevention services.
Need help?
One in four people will be affected by a mental illness at some point during their lives. The good news is that there are many different ways to get help and most of us recover after a while. It is important to know what help is available and who can offer it.
You can seek help from a variety places like your doctor (primary medical doctor for primary care) as well as your local health centre or a community mental health team. These teams consist of nurses, occupational therapists psychotherapists, psychotherapists, and speech and language therapists who work together with people who use the service. You can receive individual or group therapy based on the type of help you require.
You will be asked to fill out a form by your doctor so that they can refer you to a mental health service in the community. They will also talk with you about what kind of help you need. Then, you will be viewed by someone from a mental health team, which may include a psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker. In certain instances your evaluation and treatment will be conducted by a clinical nurse specialist. You can contact the NHS 111 helpline if you are in a crisis. If you are already receiving mental health services It is recommended to contact your primary team first, unless it is out of office hours, on 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 which are connected to primary care networks. These will help to improve the quality of care provided to those suffering from a mental health crisis. They will also offer support within their communities and homes instead of in hospitals.
The plan also aimed at provide crisis services to more people by reducing wait times and allowing more beds. It also proposed to introduce mental health transport vehicles and make sure 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 assisted in emergencies.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a variety of treatment options for mental health problems. Less severe disorders are often treated by GPs, while more severe conditions require an expert team. These teams are located in community and primary healthcare facilities, as well psychiatric hospital. There are also safe places where you can get help if you are feeling in crisis.
Talking treatments for anxiety and depression are one of the main types of treatment. Previously known as IAPT These programs have seen referrals 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 medicines are another important part of treatment. They can help alleviate symptoms by changing the way the brain's chemicals function. They can also help ease side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will suggest the right medication for you.
A variety of talk therapy options are available which include group therapy as well as individual therapy. Some of them are offered in person, whereas others are available online. Some patients prefer face-to-face treatment, but it's the choice of the patient. There are also a lot of charities which offer support groups and courses, such as Mind. Their website contains a wealth of trustworthy information, but you should be aware that there's plenty of inaccurate or misleading information on the internet about mental health issues.
The NHS is advancing mental health care but it's struggling to meet demand. There are 54 mental health trusts in the UK and the majority of are funded by clinical commissioning groups to provide their services. They typically are located in a particular region however they can also be commissioned to provide national services.
The main issue is the lack of resources to meet the demands of the rising population. There are also concerns about the quality of care, and a shortage of nurses and psychiatrists. The NHS is working to improve the services by introducing new methods of work and delivering more training. It also provides safer and more effective methods to treat those who are in crisis. These include mobile crisis teams and safe space.
Helping you
Since the NHS was launched 70 years ago there have been positive changes for those with mental health issues. Treatment options have expanded and social barriers are breaking down. However, there is much to be done.
People who are in mental health issues should receive the assistance they require quickly and easily. The NHS is striving to improve the quality of services to ensure that those who need them are able to access assistance. By 2020/21 we will ensure that all acute hospitals have a mental health liaison service, both 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% coverage.
We will also expand community services, including talking therapy, to provide support for hundreds of thousands of people suffering from mental health issues regardless of whether they are common or severe. We will continue to work on our national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme (IAPT) to ensure that more people suffering from mental health problems are seen faster by therapists who are qualified.
The NHS offers confidential, free assistance to anyone suffering from mental health issues. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines available. These helplines are run by trained volunteers. They provide a safe space to talk or give guidance and information on how to tackle your mental health issues.
Additionally there are a variety of local organisations which can provide support and guidance to people with mental health problems. Self-help guides, coping techniques and other activities are all possible. private mental health care costs of these organizations offer face-to-face support groups for those who prefer this option.
The University's Open Door Team offers a drop-in counseling service for students who are feeling down or stressed. There's also the Nightline student counselling service, which offers confidential listening and support from skilled volunteers, or information on other services. Charities like Mind and Rethink can provide many sources of information and support both on the internet and in local groups. They also offer various classes and activities, ranging from mindfulness to art groups, which may be useful for people who suffer from mental health issues.
Referring someone to you
Mental health services are under pressure and GPs are forced to make difficult choices regarding which specialist services they should refer their patients to. The GP will consider the patient's medical background and refer them to services they believe will be able aid. They might send a referral to an NHS trust or an independent service.
A mental health specialist will assess the referral to determine if it is appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't happy with the referral, they'll call the GP to discuss their decision and provide why. They can also ask the GP to provide more information or to alter the referral.
Referrals to a local Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) can be made through the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS). The system lets doctors and other healthcare professionals to refer patients to either a preliminary assessment service for mental health or directly to an appointment. However there are some exceptions. CMHTs provide both options, and the system can't be used for every kind of mental health referral.
A doctor may also refer a patient to a community mental health specialist service (CMT). They are usually managed by a large hospital or local healthcare organisation. CMTs are a great option for those who want to consult a qualified psychologist or psychiatrist but don't need inpatient treatment. They can also provide an early intervention service where a psychiatrist collaborates with the counselor to help someone overcome a crisis or increase their quality of life.
CMTs are faced with the task of making sure that all referrals are received within a reasonable time frame. One of the issues is that a lot of referrals are deemed as urgent, despite the fact that they might not be. This can cause patients who aren't experiencing a crisis to be overworked and experience delays.
To address this issue, some CMHTs have tried to establish more uniform standards for what constitutes a referral urgent. This was accomplished by using a standardised form that asks the referrer if they believe the case is urgent. The form has a checkbox that the referrer can tick when the request is urgent.