Mental Health Services on the NHS
There has been a massive rise in people seeking help 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 healthcare services faster than the overall NHS budget. This will include specialized work in suicide prevention.
Getting help
One in four of us will suffer from mental health issues at some moment in our lives. The good news is that there are many different options to seek help, and most people recover over time. It's important to understand what help is available and who can provide it.
You can seek help from your physician or the local health center or a mental health service in your local area. These teams consist of nurses, occupational and psychotherapists, as well as speech therapists. They collaborate with people who use their services. Depending on the type of help you require you might be provided with individual or group therapy.
Your GP will usually request you to fill out the form to refer you to a community mental health team. They will also speak to you about the kind of help you require. You will be seen by an individual from an interdisciplinary team of mental health professionals like psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker. In some cases, your assessment and treatment will be conducted by a clinical nurse specialist. If you are experiencing crisis, contact the NHS 111 helpline for immediate assistance. If you already receive mental health services it is recommended to contact your regular team first, unless it's outside of hours, or on a weekend or a bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health detailed plans to create multidisciplinary, community-based mental health teams which are connected to primary care networks. These teams will enhance the quality of the mental health services delivered to people experiencing a crisis, and will provide assistance to patients in their own homes and communities rather than in hospitals.
The plan also aims to make crisis services more accessible by cutting down waiting times and opening more beds. It also proposed to introduce mental health transport vehicles and ensure that every ambulance has a mental health liaison nurse in their control rooms to improve the way that people who are having an illness of mental health are helped in times of crisis.
Treatment options
The NHS provides a variety of treatment options to treat mental health issues. GPs are often able to treat milder illnesses, however more serious conditions will require the assistance of a specialist team. These teams are spread across both community and primary mental health services as well as mental health hospitals. There are also safe spaces where you can seek assistance when you're in a state of crisis.
Talking therapies for depression and anxiety are one of the main kinds of treatment. These programs, previously known as IAPT (Interactive Assessment and Psychotherapy) have seen their number of referrals increase each year since they were introduced in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan commits to expanding these services to ensure that 1.9 million people can access them by 2023/2024.
Psychiatric medicines are also a crucial part of treatment. They can alleviate symptoms by altering how the brain's chemicals work. They can be used to minimize the adverse effects of other treatments. Your doctor will recommend the right medication for you.
There are a variety of talk therapy, including group therapy and individual therapy. Some of these therapies can be delivered 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 site contains a wealth of information that is trustworthy however, be aware of the fact that there are numerous false or misleading claims on the internet about mental health issues.
The NHS is improving the mental health system, but it struggles to meet the demand. In the UK there are 54 mental trusts. They receive the majority of funding from the clinical commissioning groups. They usually are located in a specific region, but they can be commissioned to provide national services.
The shortage of resources is a major issue. There are also concerns over the quality of care, and there is a shortage of psychiatrists and nurses. The NHS is trying to improve the quality of care by offering more training and developing new ways of working. It also introduces safer and more effective ways to treat people in crisis like mobile crisis teams, as well as safe places.
We are here to help you
Since the NHS was established 70 years ago, there have been many positive developments for people suffering from mental health issues. Treatment options have expanded and social barriers are being broken down. However, there is much to be done.
People who are in a mental crisis need to get the help they need quickly and easily. That's why the NHS is working hard to improve services for people who require them. We will ensure that no acute hospital is without a mental health liaison in A&E departments and wards for patients by 2020/21. 70% of these services will meet the "core 24" standard by 2023/24. Then we will work towards 100% coverage thereafter.
We will also expand services for people who need them in the community, including therapy for talking, which will give hundreds of thousands more people suffering from severe or common mental health conditions the assistance they need. We will continue to work on our national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme (IAPT) in order to ensure that more people suffering from mental health issues are seen faster by qualified therapists.
The NHS provides free, confidential helplines to anyone who is struggling with mental health issues. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines that are available. These helplines are run entirely by volunteers who offer a safe place to talk or give advice and information on how to manage your mental health issues.
Additionally, there are a number of local organizations that can provide support and guidance to those with mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping strategies and other activities are all possible. Many of these organisations provide support groups in person for those who prefer it.
The University's Open Door Team offers a drop-in counseling service for students experiencing stress or depression. 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 a wealth of information and support, both online and in local groups. They can also offer a variety of courses and activities, from mindfulness to art groups that could be beneficial for those living with mental health problems.
Referring someone to you
Mental health services are under strain and GPs are forced to make difficult decisions 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 can aid. They may send a referral either to an NHS trust, or to 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 their reasons. They can also request the GP for more details or to alter the referral.
The referral to a local Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) may be made via the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS). The system allows GPs as well as other health professionals to refer people to either a mental health clinical assessment or directly to an outpatient appointment. However, not all CMHTs offer both options and the system isn't able to be used for every kind of mental health referral.
A GP may also 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 an excellent option for those who have to see a psychiatrist or psychologist, but do not require inpatient treatment. mental health diagnostic assessment offer an early intervention program, where a psychiatrist will work with a therapist to help a person overcome a crisis or increase their life quality.
CMTs have the responsibility of making sure that all referrals are made within a reasonable time. One of the issues is that many referrals are deemed urgent, even though they may not be. This can lead people who aren't experiencing a crisis to be overworked and experience delays.
To address this issue some CMHTs are trying to establish more consistent standards for what is considered an urgent referral. This was achieved by using an established form that asks the referrer if they believe the case is urgent. The form has a checkbox for the referrer to check when they believe that the referral is urgent.