Frankdavies6281
Mental Health Services on the NHS
The NHS has responded to the increase in mental health problems by offering services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan has made a renewed commitment to grow investment in mental health services more quickly than the NHS budget overall. This includes specialist work in suicide prevention.
Get help
One in four people will be affected by mental illness at one point during their lives. The good news is that there are plenty of different options to seek help and most of us recover with time. But it's important to know what assistance is available and who can offer it.
You can seek help from your physician, your local health center or a mental health service in your community. These teams are comprised of occupational therapists, nurses, psychotherapists and speech and language therapists who collaborate with people who use the service. Depending on the type of help you require you could receive individual or group therapy.
Your doctor will typically ask you to fill in an application form to make a referral to a community mental health team. They will also speak to you about what kind of help you need. You will then be examined by a member of the mental health team, which may include a psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker. In some instances, your assessment and treatment will be carried out by a nurse specialist. You can call the NHS 111 helpline for assistance if you're in a crisis. If you already receive mental health support, it is best to contact your primary team first, unless it's out of office hours, on a weekend or bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health detailed plans to create multidisciplinary, community-based mental health teams that are linked to primary care networks. These will help to improve the quality of care delivered to people who are experiencing 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 cutting down waiting times and opening more beds. It would also include an ambulance for mental health and ensure that all ambulances are stocked with a mental liaison nurse in the control room to ensure that people experiencing a mental crisis are helped in times of crisis.
Treatment options
The NHS provides a variety of treatment options for mental health problems. GPs are often able to treat milder conditions, but more severe illnesses will require a specialist team. These teams operate across both community and primary mental health services, and also psychiatric hospitals. There are also safe places where you can get help for those who are in crisis.
Talking therapies are among the most commonly used forms of treatment for depression and anxiety. Previously referred to as IAPT the programs have seen referral numbers 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.
The use of psychiatric medication is also a vital component of treatment. They can alleviate symptoms by changing the way chemicals work in your brain. They can also be used to lessen the negative effects of other treatments. Your doctor will prescribe the best medication for you.
A wide range of talking therapy treatments are available, including group therapy and individual therapy. Some of these are delivered in person, but others can be done online. Some patients prefer receiving treatment in person, but that is a personal decision. There are also a number of charities which offer classes and support groups, such as Mind. The website contains a wealth of reliable information, but be aware that there are a lot of false or misleading statements on the internet concerning mental health issues.
The NHS is working to improve mental health care but it struggles to meet the demands. There are 54 mental health trusts across the UK and the majority of they receive funding from clinical commissioning groups to provide their services. They are usually located in a specific region, but they can be commissioned to provide national services.
The shortage of resources is a major problem. There are concerns over the quality and shortage of nurses and psychiatrists. The NHS is trying to improve the quality of care by providing more training and introducing new methods of working. It also introduces safer and more effective methods of treating people who are in crisis. This includes mobile crisis teams, as well as safe spaces.
We are here to help you
Since the NHS was launched 70 years ago there are positive changes for those with mental health issues. The treatment options have increased and social barriers have been broken down. However, there is much to do.
People who are suffering from mental health issues should receive the help they require quickly and easily. The NHS is working to improve services so that people in need can get help. By 2020/21, we will make sure that all acute hospitals have a mental-health liaison service, both in A&E and on inpatient wards and that 70% will be in compliance with the core 24 standard by 2023/24. We will then work towards 100% coverage.
We will also expand community services, including talk therapy, to provide assistance to hundreds of thousands of people suffering from mental health conditions 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 can be seen quicker by qualified therapists.
The NHS provides free, confidential helplines for anyone who is struggling with a mental health issue. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines available. These helplines are run entirely by volunteers who provide the opportunity to talk in a secure environment or offer advice and guidance about how to handle your mental health issues.
There are also local organizations that can offer help and advice to those who suffer from mental health issues. These include self-help guides, strategies for coping and activities to try. Many of these organizations offer support groups that meet face-to-face for those who prefer it.
For students, there's the University's Open Door Team which offers an opportunity to consult with a counsellor at any time for those feeling depressed or stressed. There is also the Nightline student counselling service which provides confidential listening and support from skilled volunteers, or details on other services. Charities like Mind and Rethink are a great source of information. They can offer support in many forms such as online and through local groups. They can also offer various classes and activities, ranging from mindfulness to art groups which can be helpful for people who suffer from mental health problems.
Making a referral
Mental health services are under pressure and GPs have to make difficult choices about which specialist services to refer their patients to. The GP will look at the patient's medical background and refer them to services they believe will be able to aid. They can send a referral either to an NHS trust, or an independent provider.
A mental health professional will assess the referral to determine if it is appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't satisfied with the referral, they'll contact the GP to discuss their decision and explain why. They may request the GP to alter the referral or ask for more information.
Requests for a local Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) may be made via the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS). The system allows GPs and other healthcare professionals to refer people to either a preliminary mental health assessment or directly to an appointment with an outpatient. Not all CMHTs offer both options and the system can't be used for all types of mental health referrals.
A doctor may also refer patients to a community mental health specialist service (CMT). They are typically run by a large hospital or local healthcare organisation. CMTs are a great option for those who want to see an experienced psychiatrist or psychologist but don't require inpatient care. They also provide an early intervention service in which a psychiatrist works with a psychotherapist to assist someone in overcoming any crisis or improve the quality of their lives.
CMTs face the challenge of ensuring that all referrals are made within a reasonable amount of time. moved here of the issues is that a large number of referrals are considered urgent, despite the fact that they might not be. This can result in delays and over-working for people who are not in crisis.
To tackle this issue, some CMHTs are trying to establish more uniform standards for what is considered an urgent referral. This was achieved through a standardised form that asks the referrer if the case is urgent. The form has a checkbox that the referrer is able to tick when the referral is urgent.
