The Biggest Issue With Mental Health Services NHS, And How You Can Fix It
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 healthcare services faster than overall NHS budget. This will include specialized work in suicide prevention.
Need help?
One in four of us will suffer from a mental health problem at some moment in our lives. The good news is that there are a variety of ways to seek help, and many of us will be able to recover with time. It's important to understand what assistance is available and who can provide it.
You can seek assistance from your physician, your local health center, or a mental health team within your community. These teams are made up of occupational therapists, nurses psychotherapists, psychotherapists and speech and language therapists who work together with the people who utilize the service. Depending on the type of help you need, you may be offered individual or group therapy.
Your GP will usually ask you to fill in an application form to refer you to a community mental health team. They will also talk with you about the type of help you need. You will be seen by a member of a mental team, such as psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker. In certain instances the clinical nurse specialist will conduct your assessment and treatment. You can contact the NHS 111 helpline if you are in an emergency. If you're already supported by mental health services, it's a good idea call your usual team first, unless it's outside of the normal hours, a weekend or on a bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health set out plans to establish more multidisciplinary, community-based, place-based mental health teams with links to primary care networks. These will help to improve the quality of care that is delivered to people who are experiencing an illness of mental health and provide support within their communities and homes rather than in hospitals.
The plan aims to make crisis services accessible by decreasing waiting times and opening more beds. It would also introduce an ambulance for mental health and ensure that all ambulances are stocked with a mental liaison nurse in the control room to make sure that people experiencing a mental crisis are helped in times of crisis.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a variety of treatment options to treat mental health issues. GPs are often able to treat milder conditions, but more severe issues will require the assistance of a specialist team. These teams work in community and primary health services for mental health as well as psychiatric hospitals. You can also seek assistance in a secure environment if you feel in crisis.
Talking therapies are one of the most common types of treatment for anxiety and depression. These programs, previously referred to as IAPT (Interactive Assessment and Psychotherapy) have seen their referral numbers increase each year since they introduced in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan commits to expanding these programs so that 1.9 million people will be able to access them in 2023/2024.
The use of psychiatric medication is also a crucial element of treatment. They can alleviate symptoms by changing the way the brain's chemicals work. They can also help lessen the negative effects of other treatments. Your doctor will recommend the right medication for you.
There are many different types of talk therapies, such as group therapy and individual therapy. Some of these therapies are delivered in person, while others can be performed online. Some patients prefer receiving treatment in person, but this is a personal preference. Mind is one of the organizations that offer support groups and courses. The site contains a wealth of reliable information, but 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 advancing the mental health system, but it struggles to meet the demands. In the UK there are 54 mental trusts. They receive the majority of funding from the clinical commissioning groups. They typically are located in a particular region however, they can also be contracted to provide national services.
The shortage of resources is a major issue. There are also concerns over the quality of care and a shortage of nurses and psychiatrists. The NHS is working to improve the services by introducing new methods of work and delivering more training. It also provides more secure and efficient methods of treating those who are in crisis. These include mobile crisis teams, as well as safe spaces.
We are here to help you
Since the NHS was established 70 years ago there have been a lot of positive developments for those suffering from mental health problems. Treatment options have expanded and social barriers are being taken down. But there is much more to be done.
People who are in a mental crisis need to receive the help they require quickly and easily. This is why the NHS is striving to improve the services available to those who require these services. We will ensure that no acute hospital does not have the mental health liaison service in A&E departments and inpatient wards 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. Then we will work towards 100% coverage thereafter.
We will also increase community services, including talk therapy, to provide support for hundreds of thousands of people with mental health issues, whether they are severe or common. We will continue to develop our national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme (IAPT) to ensure that more people suffering from mental health issues are seen faster by trained therapists.
The NHS offers confidential, no-cost helplines to anyone struggling with mental health issues. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines that are available. These helplines are operated entirely by volunteers who offer an environment where you can talk to someone in a safe manner or offer advice and guidance on how to manage your mental health concerns.
There are also local organizations that can offer help and advice to those suffering from mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping strategies and activities can be included. Many of these organizations also offer face-to-face support groups for those who prefer this option.
The University's Open Door Team offers a drop-in counseling service for students who are struggling or stressed. Nightline is a student counselling service that offers confidential listening as well as information and support from knowledgeable volunteers. Charities like Mind and Rethink can provide an abundance of information and support both online and in local groups. They can provide a variety of courses and activities including mindfulness classes to art classes that can be beneficial for those suffering from mental health issues.
Referrals
Mental health services are under pressure and GPs must make difficult decisions about the best specialist services to refer their patients to. The doctor will take into consideration the medical history of the patient and refer them to services they believe will be able to aid. They may send a referral to an NHS trust or an independent service.
A mental health professional will examine the referral to determine if the referral is appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't pleased with the referral, they'll contact the GP to discuss their decision and provide the reason. They could also ask the GP to alter the referral or ask for more information.
Referrals to a local Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) may be made via the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS). The system allows doctors and other healthcare professionals to send patients to either a preliminary assessment for mental health or directly to an appointment. Not all CMHTs provide both options, and the system is not able to be used for all types of mental health referrals.
Article may decide to refer a patient to a specialized community mental health service (CMT). They are usually managed by a large hospital or local healthcare organisation. CMTs are an excellent option for those who require to consult a psychologist or psychiatrist but don't require inpatient treatment. They also offer an early intervention service where a psychiatrist will work with the therapist to help a person overcome a problem or improve their life quality.
One of the major challenges that CMTs CMT is ensuring that all referrals are allocated within an appropriate time frame. Many referrals are considered urgent even though they may not be. This can cause people who aren't in a crisis to be rushed and suffer delays.
To address this issue some CMHTs are trying to establish more consistent standards for what is an urgent referral. This has been accomplished by using the standardised referral forma that requires a referrer to determine if the case is urgent. The proforma has a box that the referrer can tick if the referral is urgent.