15 Reasons Why You Shouldn't Be Ignoring Mental Health Services NHS
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 has made a renewed commitment to grow investment in mental health services more quickly than the NHS budget in general. This includes the work of a specialist in suicide prevention.
Get help
One out of four people will be affected by mental illness at some time in their lives. The good news is that there are a variety of ways to seek help, and many of us will improve with time. It is important to know what help is available and who can provide it.
You can seek help from your doctor or the local health center or a mental health team within your area. These teams consist of nurses, occupational and psychotherapists and speech therapists. They work with people who use their services. Based on the type of help you require you might be provided with individual or group therapy.
Your doctor will typically request you to fill out a form to make a referral to a community mental health team. They will also talk with you about what kind of help you need. You will be assessed by an individual from an interdisciplinary team of mental health professionals which includes psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker. In certain instances the assessment and treatment will be carried out by a clinical nurse specialist. If you're experiencing a crisis, you can contact the NHS 111 helpline for urgent assistance. If you are already receiving mental health services it is recommended to contact your primary team first, unless out of office hours, on a weekend, or a bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health detailed plans to create multidisciplinary mental health teams in the community which are connected to primary care networks. They will improve the quality of care provided to those experiencing an illness of mental health and provide support in their homes and communities, rather than in hospital.
The plan also aims to make emergency services available by cutting down wait times and allowing more beds. It would also introduce mental health transport vehicles, and ensure that all ambulances have 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 offers a variety of treatment options to treat mental health problems. The less severe disorders are typically treated by GPs however more serious disorders require a specialist team. These teams operate in primary and community healthcare facilities and psychiatric hospitals. There are also safe places where you can seek assistance if you are feeling in a state of crisis.
Talking therapies are one of the most popular forms of treatment for depression and anxiety. Formerly known as IAPT, these programs have seen referral numbers increase each year since they were introduced 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 improve symptoms through altering the way that chemicals function in your brain. They can also be used to ease side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will prescribe the appropriate medication for you.
There are many different types of talk therapy, including group therapy and individual therapy. Some of these can be delivered in person, while others are available via a remote device. Some patients prefer face to face treatment, but it is a matter of choice. There are a variety of charities that offer support groups and courses like Mind. The website contains a wealth of information that is trustworthy however, be aware of the fact that there are numerous false or misleading statements on the internet concerning mental health issues.
The NHS is advancing the mental health system, but it is struggling to meet the demands. In the UK, there are 54 mental trusts. Most of them receive funding for their services from the clinical commissioning group. They are typically located in a specific area, but can be commissioned to deliver national services.
One of the main issues is the insufficient resources to meet the growing demand. There are also concerns over the quality of care and the shortage of nurses and psychiatrists. The NHS is trying to improve the quality of care by offering more training and developing new ways of working. It also introduces safer and more effective ways to help people in crisis including mobile crisis teams and secure areas.
Helping you
Since the NHS was launched 70 years ago there have been numerous positive changes for people with mental health issues. Treatment options have expanded and social barriers are being taken down. But there is still more to be done.
People who are in mental illness need to get the help they need quickly and easily. The NHS is striving to improve the quality of services to ensure that those who need them can get assistance. We will ensure that no acute hospital does not have a mental health liaison service in A&E departments and wards for inpatients by 2020/21. We will also ensure that 70 percent of these services will be in line with the "core 24" standard by 2023/24. We will work towards achieving 100% coverage afterward.
We will also extend services for those who require them in the community, which includes therapy for talking, which will give hundreds of thousands more people with common or severe mental health conditions the assistance they require. We will continue to develop the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) program to ensure that more people can be treated by trained therapists faster.
The NHS offers confidential, free helplines to those suffering from mental health issues. These include the Samaritans, Mind and Rethink. These helplines are operated entirely by volunteers who offer the opportunity to talk in a secure environment or provide advice and information on how to deal your mental health concerns.
There are also click here to read that can provide assistance and support to those who suffer from mental health issues. These include self-help guides, coping strategies, and activities to try. Many of these organisations also offer face-to-face support groups for those who would prefer this type of support.
The University's Open Door Team offers a drop-in counseling service for students who are experiencing stress or depression. Nightline is a student counseling service that provides confidential listening assistance, information and support from knowledgeable volunteers. Charities like Mind and Rethink are a excellent source of information. They can offer support in many forms such as online and through local groups. They offer a variety of courses and activities from mindfulness to art classes that are beneficial for those with mental health issues.
Referrals
Mental health services are under pressure and GPs are forced to make difficult choices regarding which specialist services to refer their patients to. The doctor will take into consideration the patient's medical background and refer them to services they believe will be able to assist. They may send a referral to an NHS trust, or to an independent provider.
A mental health specialist will then assess the referral and decide if it's appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't pleased with the referral they will call the GP to discuss their decision and provide the reason. They can also request the GP for more information or to alter the referral.
Referrals to a local Community Mental Health Team can be made using the NHS e-Referral Service. The system allows GPs and other health professionals to refer people to either a mental health assessment or directly to an outpatient appointment. However not all CMHTs offer both options and the system isn't able to be used for every type 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 are a good choice for those who have to consult a psychologist or psychiatrist, but do not require inpatient treatment. They also provide an early intervention service in which psychiatrists collaborate with psychotherapist to help someone overcome a crisis or improve the quality of their lives.
CMTs have the responsibility of making sure that all referrals are received within a reasonable time. Many referrals are considered urgent, even if they may not be. This can lead people who aren't experiencing a crisis to be overworked and experience delays.
To address this issue, some CMHTs have attempted to establish more uniform guidelines for what constitutes an urgent referral. This has been accomplished by using the standardised referral forma that requires a referrer to decide if the situation is urgent. The form includes a box that the referrer has to check if the referral is urgent.