Mental Health Services on the NHS
There has been an enormous increase 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 overall NHS budget. This will include specialist suicide prevention work.
Get help
One of four people will suffer from mental illness at one time in their lives. The good news is that there are many ways to get help, and most of us will be able to recover over time. But it's important to know what assistance is available, and who can provide it.
You can get help from your physician or the local health center, or a mental health team within your area. These teams consist of occupational therapists, nurses psychotherapists, psychotherapists, and speech and language therapists who work with people who use the service. You can get individual or group therapy depending on the type of help you need.
You will be asked to fill out a form by your GP so that they can refer you to a mental health team in the community. They will also speak to you about the kind of help you need. You will be assessed by a member of an interdisciplinary team of mental health professionals like psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker. In adult mental health assessment , your assessment and treatment will be conducted by a nurse specialist. You can call the NHS 111 helpline for assistance if you're in an emergency. If you are already receiving mental health support, it is best to contact your primary team first, unless it is outside of hours, or on a weekend, or a bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health detailed plans to create multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals in the community which are connected to primary care networks. These plans will aid in improving the quality of care that is provided to those suffering from a mental health crisis. They will also offer assistance within their communities and homes, rather than in hospital.
The plan also aims to make crisis services more accessible by reducing 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 ensure that people who are having a mental health crisis are helped in times of crisis.
Treatment options
The NHS provides a variety of treatment options for mental health conditions. The less severe disorders are typically treated by GPs, while more serious disorders require a specialist team. These teams work across both community and primary mental health services and also psychiatric hospitals. You can also seek help in a safe space should you be in a state of crisis.
Talking therapies are among the most popular forms of treatment for depression and anxiety. These programs, formerly known as IAPT (Interactive Assessment and Psychotherapy) have seen their numbers of clients increase each year since they launched 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 medications are another crucial aspect of treatment. They can help alleviate symptoms by altering the way chemicals work in your brain. They can also help minimize the adverse effects of other treatments. Your doctor will prescribe the appropriate medication for you.
There are a variety of talking therapies, including individual therapy and group therapy. Some of these therapies are delivered in person, while others can be performed via remote access. Some patients prefer receiving treatment in person, but this is a personal decision. Mind is one of many organizations that offer support groups and courses. Their website has a lot of information that is reliable, however you should be aware that there's a lot of misleading or false information on the internet about mental health issues.
The NHS is improving the mental health system, but it is struggling to meet demand. There are 54 mental health trusts across the UK and the majority of them receive funding from clinical commissioning groups to provide their services. They are usually located in a specific area however, they can also be contracted to provide national services.
A key issue is the lack of resources to meet the demands of the rising population. There are concerns over the quality and availability of psychiatrists and nurses. The NHS is working to improve the quality of care by delivering more training and introducing new methods of working. It is also introducing more secure and efficient methods to help people in crisis like mobile crisis teams and secure areas.
Helping you
Since the NHS was established 70 years ago there are positive changes for people suffering from mental health issues. Treatment options have expanded and social barriers are being broken down. But there's still a lot to be done.
Patients who are experiencing a mental health crisis must be able to access the help they need quickly and easily. This is why the NHS is working hard to improve the services available to those who require 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% will be in compliance with the core 24 standard by 2023/24. We will then strive for 100% coverage.
We will also expand community services, including talking therapy, to offer support for hundreds of thousands of people suffering from mental health problems regardless of whether they are serious or common. We will continue to work on the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) program to ensure that more people are seen by qualified therapists, faster.
The NHS provides free, confidential helplines for anyone who is struggling with a mental health issue. These include the Samaritans, Mind and Rethink. These helplines are operated by trained volunteers. They offer an environment where you can talk in a safe manner, or offer guidance and information on how to deal with your mental health concerns.
In addition there are a variety of local organizations that offer support and guidance for people with mental health problems. These include self-help guides, strategies for coping and activities to try. Many of these organizations provide support groups in person to those who prefer it.
The University's Open Door Team offers a drop-in counseling service for students struggling or stressed. Nightline is a student counselling service that offers private listening, support and information from knowledgeable volunteers. Charities like Mind and Rethink can provide many sources of information and assistance, both online and in local groups. They also provide a variety of courses and activities, from mindfulness to art classes that could be beneficial for those living with mental health problems.
Referrals
With mental health services under pressure, GPs have to make difficult decisions about 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 aid. They can refer a patient to an NHS trust, or to an independent provider.
A mental health specialist will review the referral to determine if it is appropriate or not. If the specialist doesn't like the referral, they'll contact the GP and explain the reasons. They may also request the GP for more information or to change the referral.
The referral 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 to refer patients to either a preliminary assessment for mental health or directly to an appointment. Not all CMHTs provide both options, and the system can't be used for all types of mental health referrals.
A GP may also refer patients to a mental health specialist in the community service (CMT). These are usually run by a large local healthcare organisation or a hospital. CMTs are a great option for those who want to see an experienced psychiatrist or psychologist but don't need inpatient treatment. They also offer an early intervention program, where a psychiatrist will work with a therapist to help a person overcome a crisis or increase their quality of life.
CMTs have the responsibility of ensuring that all referrals are received within a reasonable amount of time. Many referrals are deemed urgent, even though they might not be. This can cause people who aren't in a crisis to be overwhelmed and suffer delays.
To tackle this issue, certain CMHTs are working to establish more consistent guidelines for what constitutes an urgent referral. This was achieved by using a standardised form which asks the referrer to indicate if the case is urgent. The proforma has a box that the referrer has to check to indicate if the request is urgent.