Mental Health Services on the NHS

There has been a huge increase in people seeking help for mental health issues and the NHS has responded by providing services. This includes:

The Long Term Plan reaffirmed its commitment to boost investment in mental health services more quickly than the overall NHS budget. This will include specialist suicide prevention work.

Getting help

One in four people will be affected by mental illness at some time in their lives. The good news is there are a variety of ways to seek help, and many of us will recover with time. It is essential to know what assistance is available and who is able to provide it.

You can seek assistance from a variety of places such as your doctor (primary medical doctor who treats patients) or 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. Based on the type of help you require, you may be offered individual or group therapy.

You will be asked to fill out a form from your GP so they can refer you to a mental health team in the community. They will also ask you what kind of support you need. You will be seen by an individual from the mental team like psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker. In some instances a clinical nurse specialist will conduct your assessment and treatment. You can contact the NHS 111 helpline if you are in a crisis. If you’re already being supported by mental health services it’s a good idea try and contact your usual team first unless it’s out of core hours, the weekend or a bank holiday.

The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health detailed plans to establish multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals in the community which are connected to primary care networks. how can i get a mental health assessment will aid in improving the quality of care that is delivered to people who are suffering from a mental health crisis. They will also provide support in their homes and communities rather than in hospitals.

The plan also aims at making emergency services available by cutting down waiting times and opening more beds. It would also introduce mental health transport vehicles, and ensure that every ambulance has an official who is a mental health liaison in their control rooms to improve the way that those suffering from a mental health crisis are supported in emergency situations.

Treatment options

The NHS provides a wide range of treatment options for mental health conditions. Less severe disorders are often treated by GPs and more severe conditions require an expert team. These teams operate in both community and primary healthcare facilities, as well psychiatric hospital. There are also safe places where you can get help when you’re in a state of crisis.

Talking therapies are among the most commonly used forms of treatment for depression and anxiety. Previously referred to as IAPT These programs have seen referrals increase each 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 medicines are another important aspect of treatment. They can improve symptoms by altering how chemicals in your brain work. 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 available which include group therapy as well as individual therapy. Some of these can be delivered in person, while others can be delivered via a remote device. Some patients prefer to receive treatment in person, but this is a personal decision. There are also a lot of charities which offer classes and support groups like Mind. The site contains a wealth of reliable information but you should be aware that there are numerous false or misleading claims on the internet about mental health issues.

The NHS is advancing mental health care but it’s struggling to meet the demands. In the UK there are 54 mental trusts. The majority of them receive funding for their services from clinical commissioning groups. They are usually located in a particular region however they can also be commissioned to offer national services.

One of the main issues is the lack of resources to meet the growing demand. There are also concerns about the quality of care and the shortage of psychiatrists and nurses. The NHS is working to improve the services by introducing new methods of work and delivering more training. It also provides more efficient and safer methods of treating those who are in crisis. These include mobile crisis teams, as well as safe spaces.

Supporting you

Since the NHS was established 70 years ago there have been numerous positive developments for people suffering from mental health problems. The treatment options have gotten better and social barriers have been taken down. However, there is much to be done.

People who are in mental health issues should get the help they need quickly and easily. That’s why the NHS is striving to improve the quality of services for those who need them. By 2020/21, we will make sure 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. Then we will strive to achieve 100 percent coverage.

We will also increase services for the community, such as talking therapy, in order to provide assistance to hundreds of thousands of people with mental health issues regardless of whether they are severe or common. We will continue to develop our national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme (IAPT) in order to ensure that more people with mental health conditions can be seen more quickly by therapists who are qualified.

The NHS provides free, confidential helplines for anyone struggling with mental health issues. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines that are available. These helplines are operated by trained volunteers and provide the opportunity to talk with someone in a secure environment or give advice and information on how to tackle your mental health concerns.

In addition there are a variety of local organizations that provide assistance and support for those suffering from mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping methods and other activities are available. Many of these organisations also provide support groups in person for those who prefer this method.

For students, there’s 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. There is also the Nightline student counselling service which offers confidential listening and support from experienced volunteers, or details on other services. Charities like Mind and Rethink can provide many sources of information and support, both online and in local groups. They can offer a range of courses and activities from mindfulness to art classes, which can be beneficial for those suffering from mental health issues.

Referring someone to you

With mental health services under pressure, GPs are having to make difficult decisions regarding the services they will refer patients to. The GP will take a patient’s medical history into consideration and then recommend them to a service they believe will be able to help. They might send a referral to an NHS trust or an independent provider.

A mental health professional will then assess the referral and decide whether it’s appropriate or not. If the specialist isn’t satisfied with the referral, they will call the GP and explain their reasons. They can also ask the GP for more information or to modify 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 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 GP can also refer a patient to a mental health specialist in the community service (CMT). These are usually run either by a large hospital or local health care organization. CMTs can be a good option for people who wish to consult a qualified psychologist or psychiatrist but don’t need inpatient treatment. They also offer an early intervention program, where a psychiatrist collaborates with the counselor to help someone overcome a problem or improve their life quality.

CMTs have the responsibility of making sure that all referrals are made within a reasonable time frame. Many referrals are considered urgent, even though they might not be. This can cause people who aren’t in a crisis to be overworked and experience delays.

To address this issue, certain CMHTs are working to establish more uniform standards for what is considered an urgent referral. This has been accomplished by using an established referral form that requires the referrer to decide if the situation is urgent. The form includes a box that the referrer is able to tick when the referral is urgent.