Mental Health Services on the NHS
There has been a massive increase in people seeking treatment for mental health issues, and the NHS has responded by offering services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan has made a renewed commitment to grow the amount of money spent on mental health services faster than the NHS budget in general. This will include the work of a specialist in suicide prevention.
Get help
One out of four people will be affected by a mental illness at some point during their lives. The good news is that there are a variety of ways to seek help, and many of us will be able to recover over time. It is crucial to know what assistance is available and who can provide it.
You can seek assistance from a variety of places, including your doctor (primary medical doctor for primary care), your local health center or a community mental health team. These teams consist of occupational and nurse psychotherapists, as well as speech therapists. They work with the clients who seek their services. Depending on the type of assistance you require you might be provided with individual or group therapy.
You will be asked to fill out a form by your GP so they can refer you to a mental health service in the community. They will also ask what type of assistance you require. You will then be seen by a member of a mental health team that could include a psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker. In some instances your evaluation and treatment will be performed by a specialist in clinical nursing. You can contact the NHS 111 helpline when you're in an emergency. If you are already receiving mental health services, it is best to contact your regular team first, unless out of hours, on a weekend or a bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health included plans to establish more place-based, multidisciplinary community mental health teams with links to primary care networks. They will improve the quality of care provided to those experiencing a mental health crisis. They will also offer support in their homes and communities instead of in hospitals.
The plan also aims at making crisis services accessible by cutting down wait times and allowing 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 ensure people suffering from an illness of mental health are helped in times of crisis.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a wide array of treatment options for mental health issues. The less severe disorders are typically treated by GPs however more severe conditions require specialists. These teams are spread across primary and community mental health services and also the psychiatric hospitals. You can also seek help in a secure space when you are in a crisis.
Talking therapies are one of 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 every year since they were first introduced in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan has committed to expanding these programs to 1.9 million people by 2023/2024.
Psychiatric medicines are also a vital component of treatment. They can alleviate symptoms by altering how chemicals in your brain work. They can be used to reduce the side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will suggest the right medication for you.
There are many different types of talking therapies, including group therapy and individual therapy. Some of these are delivered in person, while others can be delivered via a remote device. Some patients prefer face-to face treatment, but it's a matter of choice. Mind is one of the charities that offer support groups and courses. Their website has a lot of reliable information, but you must be aware that there is a lot of misleading or false information available on the internet regarding mental health issues.
While the NHS is advancing its mental health services, it still struggles to cope with demand. In the UK there are 54 mental trusts. Most of them receive funding for their services from the clinical commissioning groups. They are usually located in a specific region however they can also be commissioned to offer national services.
The main issue is the insufficient resources to meet the growing demand. There are concerns about the quality and availability of nurses and psychiatrists. The NHS is trying to improve the quality of care by offering more training and introducing new ways of working. It also introduces more secure and efficient methods to help people in crisis, such as mobile crisis teams, as well as safe spaces.
Helping you
Since the NHS was established 70 years ago there have been numerous positive developments for those suffering from mental health issues. The options for treatment have grown and social barriers have been smashed down. But there is more to be done.
People who are in mental illness need to receive the help they require quickly and easily. The NHS is striving to improve the quality of services to ensure that those who need them receive them. We will ensure that every acute hospital does not have a mental health liaison service in A&E departments and wards for inpatients by 2020/21. 70 percent of these services will meet the "core 24" standard by 2023/24. We will work towards 100% coverage thereafter.
We will also increase services for the community, such as talking therapy, to offer assistance to hundreds of thousands of individuals suffering from mental health issues, whether they are severe or common. mental health test uk will continue to develop our national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies program (IAPT) in order to ensure that more people with mental health conditions can be seen quicker by qualified therapists.
The NHS provides free, confidential helplines to anyone suffering from a mental health issue. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines that are available. These helplines are run by volunteers who offer a safe place to talk or provide advice and information on how to manage your mental health concerns.
There are a variety of local organisations that can provide help and advice to those who suffer from mental health issues. These include self-help guides, coping strategies, and activities to try. Many of these organizations also provide support groups in person 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 feeling down or stressed. Nightline is a student counseling service that offers confidential listening, support and information from experienced volunteers. Charities like Mind and Rethink can provide a wealth of information and support, both on the internet and in local groups. They also offer various classes and activities, from mindfulness to art classes, which may be useful for people suffering from mental health issues.
Making a referral
Mental health services are under pressure and GPs are forced to make difficult decisions about which specialist services they should refer their patients to. The GP will take a patient's medical history into account and then refer them to a specialist they believe could be able to assist. They can send a referral to an NHS trust, or to an independent provider.
see it here will then review the referral and decide whether it's appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't pleased with the referral, they'll call the GP to discuss their decision and provide the reason. They could request the GP to change the referral or request more information.

The ability to refer patients to the local Community Mental Health Team can be made using the NHS e-Referral Service. The system allows doctors and other healthcare professionals to send patients to either a preliminary clinical assessment service for mental health or directly to an 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 doctor may also decide to refer a person to an expert community mental health service (CMT). These are usually run by a large local healthcare organization or a hospital. CMTs are a good choice for those who have to visit a psychologist or psychiatrist but do not require inpatient treatment. They also provide an early intervention service where psychiatrists collaborate with therapist in order to assist someone in overcoming any 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 issues is that many referrals are considered urgent, even though they might not be. This can result in delays and over-working for people who aren't in need.
To address this issue some CMHTs are trying to establish more uniform standards for what is considered an urgent referral. This was achieved through an established form that asks the referrer if they believe the situation is urgent. The form includes a box that the referrer can tick when the request is urgent.