Mental Health Services on the NHS
The NHS has responded to the rising number of mental health issues by providing services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan has made the commitment to increase the investment in mental health services more quickly than the NHS budget in general. This will include special suicide prevention services.
Getting help
One in four of us will have a mental health problem at some point in our lives. The good news is there are many avenues to seek help, and most of us will improve over time. It's important to understand the types of help available and who can provide it.
You can seek help from a variety places such as your GP (primary medical doctor for primary care) as well as your local health centre, or a community mental health team. These teams are made up of occupational therapists, nurses psychotherapists, psychotherapists and speech and language therapists who collaborate with those who utilize the service. You can get individual or group therapy, based on the type of assistance you require.
Your GP will typically ask you to fill in a form so that they can refer you to a community mental health team. They will also talk to you about the type of help you require. You will then be examined by a member of a mental health team that may include a psychiatrist, social worker or psychologist. In some instances the clinical nurse specialist will carry out your assessment and treatment. You can call the NHS 111 helpline when you're in an emergency. If you're already being supported by mental health services it's a good idea to contact your regular team first, unless it's out of normal hours, 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 that are linked to primary care networks. These teams will improve the quality of the mental health services that is provided to those who are in a crisis, and offer support to those within their communities and at home rather than in hospitals.
The plan also aimed at help make crisis services more accessible by reducing wait times and opening more beds. It would also 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 those suffering from mental health issues are supported in emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a range of treatment options to treat mental health problems. Less severe disorders are often treated by GPs and more serious disorders require an expert team. These teams are spread across both community and primary mental health services, as well as psychiatric hospitals. There are also safe spaces where you can seek assistance if you are feeling in a state of crisis.
Talking treatments for anxiety and depression are among the most popular 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 first introduced in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan commits to expanding these programs to ensure that 1.9 million people will be able to access them in 2023/2024.
Psychiatric medications are another crucial part of treatment. They can help alleviate symptoms by altering the way the brain's chemicals work. They can also be used to alleviate the side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will suggest the right medication for you.
There are mental health assessments for adults of talk therapy, including individual therapy and group therapy. Some of these are delivered in person, whereas others can be delivered remotely. Some patients prefer to receive treatment in person, but this is a personal choice. There are also a number of charities that provide classes and support groups, such as Mind. Their website is full of reliable information, but you must be aware that there's a lot of false or misleading information on the internet about mental health issues.
While the NHS is working to improve its mental health care but it's still struggling to cope with demand. There are 54 mental health trusts in the UK and the majority of them receive funding from clinical commissioning organizations to deliver their service. They are usually located in a specific region however, they are also able to be contracted to provide national services.
The shortage of resources is a major problem. There are concerns about the quality and availability of nurses and psychiatrists. The NHS is working to improve the quality of care by delivering more training and developing new ways of working. It also introduces safer and more effective ways to assist people in need like mobile crisis teams and secure places.
Helping you
Since the NHS was first introduced 70 years ago, there have been positive developments for those with mental health issues. The treatment options have increased and social barriers have been smashed down. But there is much more to be done.
People who are experiencing a mental crisis need to get the help they need quickly and easily. This is why the NHS is putting in the effort to improve the quality of services for those who need these services. By 2020/21, we will make sure that all acute hospitals offer a mental health liaison service, both in A&E and on wards for inpatients and that 70% of them will meet the core 24 standard by 2023/24. We will then work towards 100% coverage.
We will also enhance services for the community, such as talking therapy, in order to provide assistance to hundreds of thousands of individuals suffering from mental health problems regardless of whether they are common or severe. We will continue to develop the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) program to ensure that more people are seen by qualified therapists, faster.
The NHS offers free, confidential helplines to anyone struggling with mental health issues. These include the Samaritans and Mind and Rethink. These helplines are operated by trained volunteers and provide a safe space to talk, or offer guidance and information on how to deal with your mental health issues.
In addition to that, there are a lot of local organizations that can offer support and guidance for people with mental health problems. They can provide self-help guides, coping strategies, and activities to try. Many of these organisations offer face-toface support groups for those who prefer it.
The University's Open Door Team offers a drop-in counseling service for students struggling or stressed. There is also the Nightline student counselling service that provides confidential listening and support from experienced volunteers, as well as information about other services. Charities such as Mind and Rethink are a excellent source of information and provide support in various forms, including online and through local groups. They also provide many courses and activities, from mindfulness to art classes that could be beneficial for those living with mental health issues.
Making a referral
Mental health services are under strain and GPs are forced to make difficult decisions about the best specialist services to refer their patients to. The GP will take a patient's medical history into account and then refer them to a specialist they believe will be able to help. They can send a referral to an NHS trust, or to an independent provider.
A mental health professional will then review the referral and decide whether it's appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't satisfied with the referral, they will contact the GP and explain why. They may also request the GP for more information or to change the referral.
Referrals to a local Community Mental Health Team can be made via the NHS e-Referral Service. The system lets doctors and other healthcare professionals direct patients to a preliminary clinical assessment for mental health or directly to an appointment. Not all CMHTs provide both options, and the system cannot be used for all kinds of mental health referrals.
A doctor may refer a patient to a community mental health specialist service (CMT). They are typically run by a major local health organization or a hospital. CMTs are a great option for those who require to consult a psychologist or psychiatrist, but do not require inpatient care. They can also provide an early intervention program, where a psychiatrist will work with an counselor to help someone overcome a problem or improve their quality of life.
CMTs face the challenge of ensuring that all referrals are received within a reasonable amount of time. Many referrals are deemed urgent, even if they may not be. This can result in over-working and delays for people who aren't in a crisis.
To combat this problem, a few CMHTs have tried to establish more uniform guidelines for what constitutes a referral urgent. This was achieved through an established form that asks the referrer if the case is urgent. The proforma includes a box for the referrer to tick if they feel the referral is urgent.