Then You've Found Your Mental Health Services NHS ... Now What?
Then You've Found Your Mental Health Services NHS ... Now What?
Blog Article
Mental Health Services on the NHS
The NHS has responded to the rise in mental health issues 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 will include the work of a specialist in suicide prevention.
Get assistance
One in four people will suffer from a mental illness at some time in their lives. The good news is that there are many avenues to seek help, and many of us will recover over time. But it's important to know what assistance is available, and who can offer it.
You can seek help from a variety of places, including your doctor (primary care medical doctor) as well as your local health center or a community mental health team. These teams comprise of nurses, occupational and psychotherapists, as well as speech therapists. They work with people who use their services. Based on the type of help you need you might be provided with individual or group therapy.
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 talk to you about what kind of assistance you require. You will then be seen by a member of a mental health team that may include a psychiatrist, social worker or psychologist. In some cases a clinical nurse specialist will conduct your assessment and treatment. If you are experiencing crisis, call the NHS 111 helpline for urgent support. If you are already receiving support for your mental health It is recommended to contact your primary team first, unless it is out of hours, on a weekend or a bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health detailed plans to establish multidisciplinary mental health teams in the community that are connected to primary care networks. These teams will improve the quality of the mental health services delivered to people experiencing a crisis, and provide support to them in their homes and community instead of in hospitals.
The plan also aims to make crisis services accessible by reducing wait times and opening up more beds. It would also introduce the mental transport vehicle and ensure that all ambulances are outfitted with a mental liaison nurse in the control room to ensure that those who are experiencing mental distress are assisted in emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a wide array of treatment options for mental health issues. GPs typically have the ability to treat milder disorders, but more serious conditions will require the assistance of a specialist team. These teams work in community and primary healthcare facilities as well as psychiatric hospitals. You can also seek help in a secure environment should you be in a state of crisis.
Talking therapies are one of the most common types of treatment for anxiety and depression. These programs, previously referred to as IAPT (Interactive Assessment and Psychotherapy), have seen their numbers of clients increase every year since they were introduced in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan commits to expanding these services so that 1.9 million people will be able to use them in 2023/2024.
Psychiatric medications are another crucial aspect of treatment. They can alleviate symptoms by altering the way that chemicals function in your brain. They can also be used to alleviate the side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will suggest a medicine that is right for you.
A wide variety of talking therapy options are offered, 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 that more info is website a personal preference. There are also a number of charities which offer support groups and classes, such as Mind. Their website has a lot of reliable information, but you should be aware that there's plenty of false or misleading information available on the internet regarding mental health issues.
The NHS is improving the quality of mental health care, but it is struggling to meet the demands. 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 specific region, but can be contracted to provide national services.
One of the main issues is the lack of resources to meet rising demand. There are also concerns over the quality of care and a shortage of nurses and psychiatrists. The NHS is working to improve the services by introducing new ways of work and providing more training. It is also introducing more secure and efficient methods to help people in crisis including mobile crisis teams and safe spaces.
Helping you
Since the NHS was first introduced 70 years ago there have been positive developments for those suffering from mental health issues. Treatment options have gotten more diverse and social barriers are breaking down. But there is much more to be done.
Patients who are experiencing mental health problems require the ability to get the help they need quickly and easily. The NHS is working to improve services so that people in need can get assistance. We will ensure that no acute hospital does not have a mental health liaison in A&E departments and wards for inpatients by 2020/21. We will also ensure that 70 percent of these services will meet the "core 24" standard by 2023/24. Then we will work towards a 100% coverage rate after that.
We will also increase services for people who require them in the community, which includes therapy for talking, which will give hundreds of thousands more patients with severe or common mental health issues the help they require. We will continue to develop the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) program to ensure that more people are treated by trained therapists more quickly.
The NHS provides free, confidential helplines for anyone struggling with a mental health issue. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines that are available. These helplines are run by trained volunteers and provide an environment where you can talk in a safe manner or give guidance and information on how to manage your mental health issues.
There are a variety of local organizations that provide assistance and support to those with mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping methods and other activities are available. Many of these organisations also offer face-to-face support groups for those who prefer this method.
For students, there is the University's Open Door Team which offers an opportunity to consult with a counsellor at any time here for those who are feeling down or stressed. There is also the Nightline student counselling service which provides confidential listening and support from knowledgeable volunteers, or information on other services. Charities such as Mind and Rethink are a excellent source of information. They can provide support in various forms that click here include online and through local groups. They also offer various classes and activities, ranging from mindfulness to art groups which can be helpful for those living with mental health problems.
Referrals
Mental health services are under pressure and GPs have to make difficult decisions about the best specialist services to refer their patients to. The doctor will take into consideration the patient's medical background and refer them to services they believe will be able to assist. They might send a referral to an NHS trust or an independent provider.
A mental health specialist will review the referral to determine if it's appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't satisfied with the referral they will contact the GP to discuss their decision and explain why. They might request the GP to modify the referral or ask for more information.
The referral to a local Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) get more info may be made via the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS). The system allows doctors and other healthcare professionals direct patients to a preliminary assessment service for mental health or directly to an appointment. However there are some exceptions. CMHTs offer both options and the system cannot be used for every type of mental health referral.
A GP can also refer patients to a community mental health specialist service (CMT). These are usually run by a major local healthcare organisation or hospital. CMTs are a great option for those who need to visit a psychologist or psychiatrist but do not require inpatient care. They also offer an early intervention service, where a psychiatrist collaborates with a therapist to help a person overcome a crisis or increase their quality of life.
One of the challenges faced by a CMT is how to ensure that all appropriate referrals are allocated within an appropriate time frame. Many referrals are considered urgent, even though they might not be. This can cause people who aren't experiencing a crisis to be overwhelmed and suffer delays.
To combat this problem, a few CMHTs have tried to establish more uniform standards for what constitutes an urgent referral. This was achieved by using a standardised form which asks the referrer if they believe the situation is urgent. The form includes a box for the referrer to check when they believe the referral is urgent.