Mental Health Services on the NHS
The NHS has responded to the increase in mental health issues by providing services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan reaffirmed its commitment to boost investment in mental health services faster than the overall NHS budget. This will include specialist suicide prevention work.
Helping yourself
One of four of us will suffer from mental health issues at some moment in our lives. The good news is that there are many ways to get help, and most of us will improve with time. But it's important to know what assistance is available and who is able to provide it.
You can seek assistance from a variety of sources such as your GP (primary care medical doctor), your local health centre or a community mental health team. These teams are comprised of nurses, occupational therapists psychotherapists, psychotherapists, and speech and language therapists who work with those who utilize the service. You can receive individual or group therapy based on the type of assistance you require.
You will be asked to fill out a form from your GP so that they can refer you to a mental health team in the community. They will also ask what type of assistance you require. You will then be seen by a member of the mental health team that may comprise a psychiatrist psychologist or social worker. In some cases the clinical nurse specialist will perform your assessment and treatment. You can call the NHS 111 helpline for assistance if you're in crisis. If mental health private being assisted by mental health services it's a good idea to contact your regular team first unless it's out of core hours, the weekend or on a bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health detailed plans to create multidisciplinary mental health teams in the community that are connected to primary care networks. These teams will increase the quality of the care delivered to people experiencing a crisis, and provide support to them in their homes and community rather than in hospitals.
The plan also aims at making crisis services accessible by cutting down wait times and opening up more beds. It would also include the mental transport vehicle and ensure that all ambulances are outfitted with a mental liaison nurse within the control room to make sure that those who are experiencing mental distress are supported during emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a variety of treatment options to treat mental health conditions. The less severe disorders are typically treated by GPs however more severe conditions require an expert team. These teams work in both community and primary health services for mental health, as well psychiatric hospital. There are also safe spaces where you can seek help if you are feeling in a 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 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 an important element of treatment. They can help alleviate symptoms by altering how the brain's chemicals work. They can also be used to alleviate the side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will prescribe the right medicine for you.
A wide range of talking therapy options are available, including group therapy and individual therapy. Some of them are offered in person, whereas others can be delivered online. Some patients prefer receiving treatment in person, but this is a personal decision. Mind is one of the charities that offer support groups and classes. The site is full of information that is reliable however, be aware of the fact that there are a lot of false or misleading statements that are posted on the internet concerning mental health issues.
The NHS is working to improve mental health care but it is struggling to meet demand. In the UK there are 54 mental trusts. Most of them receive funding for their services from clinical commissioning groups. They are typically located in a specific region, but can be commissioned to deliver national services.
A key issue is the insufficient resources to meet rising demand. There are also concerns about the quality of care, and the shortage of psychiatrists and nurses. The NHS is trying to improve the quality of care by introducing new methods of work and delivering more training. It is also introducing more efficient and safer methods to treat people in crisis including mobile crisis teams and safe areas.
Helping you
Since the NHS was established 70 years ago there have been numerous positive changes for people with mental health issues. The treatment options have increased and social barriers have been taken down. However, there is much to do.
People who are experiencing mental illness need to receive the assistance they require quickly and easily. This is why the NHS is striving to improve services for people who need them. We will ensure that no acute hospital does not have a mental health liaison service in A&E departments and inpatient wards by 2020/21. 70% of these services will meet the "core 24" standard by 2023/24. We will work towards a 100% coverage rate after that.
We will also enhance community services, including talking therapy, in order to provide assistance to hundreds of thousands of individuals suffering from mental health issues, whether they are serious 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 issues can be seen quicker by trained therapists.
The NHS offers free, confidential helplines for anyone struggling with mental health issues. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines available. These helplines are run by trained volunteers. They provide the opportunity to talk with someone in a secure environment, or offer advice and information on how to tackle your mental health issues.
Additionally to that, there are a lot of local organizations that offer support and guidance for those suffering from mental health issues. These can include self-help guides, coping strategies, and activities to try. Many of these organizations also provide support groups in person for those who prefer this method.
The University's Open Door Team offers a drop-in counseling service for students experiencing stress or depression. Nightline is a student counselling service that offers private listening assistance, information and support from experienced volunteers. Charities like Mind and Rethink are a excellent source of information and can provide support in a variety of ways that include online and through local groups. They offer a variety of courses and activities from mindfulness to art classes, which are useful for people with mental health issues.
Referrals
Mental health services are under strain and GPs are forced to make difficult choices about the best specialist services to refer their patients to. The doctor will take the patient's medical history into account and then refer them to a specialist they believe could be able to assist. They can refer a patient either 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 isn't happy with the referral, they'll call the GP and explain their reasons. They might also ask the GP to modify the referral or request more information.
Requests for a local Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) can be made through the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS). The system permits GPs and other healthcare professionals to refer patients to either a pre-mental health clinical assessment or directly to an outpatient appointment. Not all CMHTs offer both options and the system can't be used for all kinds of mental health referrals.
A doctor may refer a patient to a mental health specialist in the community service (CMT). These are usually run by a large local healthcare organization or a hospital. CMTs are a great option for those who want to consult with a seasoned psychologist or psychiatrist, but do not require inpatient treatment. They can also provide an early intervention service where psychiatrists collaborate with therapist in order to assist a person overcome a crisis or improve the quality of their life.
CMTs face the challenge of making sure that all referrals are received within a reasonable time frame. One of the problems is that many referrals are deemed as urgent, despite the fact that they might not be. This can cause patients who aren't in a crisis to be rushed and suffer delays.
To tackle this issue, some CMHTs have tried to establish more uniform guidelines for what constitutes a referral urgent. This is being achieved through the use of a standardised referral proforma that requires a referrer to consider whether the case is urgent. The proforma has a box that the referrer has to check to indicate if the request is urgent.