Mental Health Services on the NHS
The NHS has responded to the rising number of mental health issues by offering services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan has made the commitment to increase the investment in mental health services faster than the NHS budget in general. This includes specialist work in suicide prevention.
Get help
One in four of us will have mental health issues at some point in our lives. The good news is that there are many different ways to get help, and most people recover after a while. It's important to understand the types of help available and who can provide it.
You can seek assistance from a variety places such as your GP (primary medical doctor who treats patients) as well as your local health centre or a community mental health team. These teams consist of occupational and nurse speech therapists, and psychotherapists. They work with clients who seek their services. You can receive individual or group therapy based on the type of assistance you need.
You will be asked to complete a form with your GP so they can refer you to a mental health team in the community. They will also speak to you about what kind of assistance you require. You will be assessed by a member of the mental team, such as a psychologist, psychiatrist or social worker. In some instances the clinical nurse specialist will carry out your assessment and treatment. You can call the NHS 111 helpline when you're in crisis. If you already receive mental health services, it is best to contact your regular team first, unless it's out of office hours, on a weekend, or a bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health set out plans to establish more multidisciplinary, place-based community mental health teams, with connections to primary care networks. These will help to improve the quality of the care given to those suffering from a mental health crisis. They will also offer assistance within their communities and homes instead of in hospitals.
The plan aims to make crisis services accessible by decreasing waiting times and opening more beds. It also proposes the introduction of mental health transport vehicles and make sure that all ambulances have an official who is a mental health liaison in their control rooms to improve the way that people who are having mental health issues are assisted in emergencies.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a variety of treatment options to treat mental health conditions. initial mental health assessment have the ability to treat minor illnesses, however more serious issues will require a specialist team. These teams operate in primary and community mental healthcare services, as well psychiatric hospital. There are also safe places where you can seek assistance if you are feeling in a crisis.
Talking therapies are among the most commonly used forms of treatment for anxiety and depression. Formerly known as IAPT These programs have seen referrals increase every year since their introduction in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan commits to expanding these services to ensure that 1.9 million people will be able to use them in 2023/2024.
Psychiatric drugs are a different component of treatment. They can help alleviate symptoms by altering the way chemicals work in your brain. They can also be used to alleviate the side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will recommend a medicine that is right for you.
There are many different types of talking therapies, including group therapy and individual therapy. Some of these can be delivered in person, whereas others are available online. Some patients prefer treatment in person, but this is a personal preference. Mind is one of the charities that provide support groups and courses. Their website is full of reliable information, but you should be aware that there's lots of false or misleading information on the internet about mental health issues.
The NHS is advancing mental health care but it struggles to meet the demand. There are 54 mental health trusts across the UK, and most of them receive funding from clinical commissioning groups to provide their services. They typically are located in a particular region however, they are also able to be commissioned to deliver national services.
The main issue is the insufficient resources to meet the growing demand. There are concerns over the quality and shortage of nurses and psychiatrists. The NHS is working to improve the services by introducing new methods of work and providing more training. It is also introducing safer and more effective ways to help people in crisis like mobile crisis teams and secure places.
Supporting you
Since the NHS was established 70 years ago there have been positive changes for those suffering from mental health issues. The options for treatment have grown and social barriers have been smashed down. However, there is much to be done.
People who are suffering from mental health problems need to be able to access the help they require quickly and easily. This is why the NHS is putting in the effort to improve the quality of services for those who require these services. 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% of these will meet the core 24 standard by 2023/24. Then we will work towards 100% coverage.
We will also increase services for people who require them in the community, such as talking therapies, to give hundreds of thousands of people suffering from severe or common mental health conditions the support they require. We will continue to work on the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) program so that more people can be treated by trained therapists faster.
The NHS offers free, confidential helplines to anyone struggling with a mental health issue. 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 provide advice and information on how to manage your mental health issues.
In addition there are a variety of local organizations that can offer support and guidance for those suffering from mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping techniques and other activities are available. Many of these organisations offer support groups that meet face-to-face to those who would prefer it.
For students, there is the University's Open Door Team which offers an opportunity to consult with a counsellor at any time for those who are feeling down or stressed. Nightline is a student counselling service that offers confidential listening as well as information and support from knowledgeable volunteers. Charities such as Mind and Rethink can provide a wealth of information and support, both online and in local groups. They can offer a range of courses and activities including mindfulness classes to art classes that are beneficial for those with mental health issues.
Referring someone to you
With mental health services under pressure, GPs have to make difficult decisions regarding the services they will refer patients to. The GP will consider the medical history of the patient and recommend them to services they believe will be able to assist. They can refer a patient either to an NHS trust, or an independent provider.
A mental health professional will then evaluate the referral and decide if it's appropriate or not. If the specialist doesn't like the referral, they'll call the GP and explain the reasons. They may also request the GP for 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 allows doctors and other healthcare professionals to direct patients to an initial clinical assessment service for mental health or directly to an appointment. However, not all CMHTs provide both options, and the system can't be used for every kind of mental health referral.
A doctor may also decide to refer a patient to a specialized community mental health service (CMT). initial mental health assessment are usually managed by an extensive hospital or a local health care organization. CMTs are a great option for those who want to see an experienced psychologist or psychiatrist but don't require inpatient care. They can also provide an early intervention program where psychiatrists work with a therapist in order to help someone overcome any crisis or improve the quality of their life.
CMTs face the challenge of ensuring that all referrals are received within a reasonable amount of time. Many referrals are deemed urgent even though they may not be. This can lead to delays and over-working for people who aren't in a crisis.
To address this issue, a few CMHTs have tried to establish more uniform standards for what constitutes an urgent referral. This has been achieved by using an established referral form that requires a referrer decide if the situation is urgent. The form has a checkbox for the referrer to check if they feel that the referral is urgent.