Mental Health Services on the NHS<br /><br />The NHS has responded to the rise in mental health problems by offering services. This includes:<br /><br />The Long Term Plan has made a renewed commitment to grow investment in mental health services faster than the NHS budget in general. This will include specialist work in suicide prevention.<br /><br />Get help<br /><br />One in four of us will experience mental health issues at some point in our lives. The good news is there are many avenues to seek help, and most of us will be able to recover with time. It is crucial to know the types of help available and who can provide it.<br /><br />You can seek help from your physician, your local health center, or a mental health team within your community. These teams consist of nurses, occupational and psychotherapists, as well as speech therapists. They work with people who use their services. Depending on the type of help you need, you may be offered individual or group therapy.<br /><br />Your doctor will typically request you to fill out an application form so that they can refer you to a community mental health team. They will also speak to you about the type of help you require. You will then be seen by someone from a mental health team that may comprise a psychiatrist social worker or psychologist. In certain instances the assessment and treatment will be carried out by a clinical nurse specialist. You can call the NHS 111 helpline when you're in crisis. If you're already being assisted by mental health services it's a good idea try and contact your usual team first, unless it's out of normal hours, on a weekend or on a bank holiday.<br /><br />The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health included plans to establish more multidisciplinary, community-based, place-based mental health teams that have links to primary care networks. These teams will enhance the quality of the care delivered to people experiencing a crisis, and will provide assistance to them in their homes and community rather than in hospitals.<br /><br />The plan also aimed to provide crisis services to more people by reducing wait times and opening more beds. It also proposes the mental transport vehicle and ensure that all ambulances are equipped with a mental liaison nurse in the control room to ensure that those who are experiencing mental distress are supported during emergency situations.<br /><br />Treatment options<br /><br />The NHS offers a variety of treatment options to treat mental health problems. Disorders that are less severe are usually treated by GPs, while more severe conditions require a specialist team. These teams work across primary and community mental health services and the psychiatric hospitals. There are also safe spaces where you can get help when you're in a crisis.<br /><br />Talking therapies are one of the most popular forms of treatment for depression and anxiety. These programs, previously referred to as IAPT (Interactive Assessment and Psychotherapy) have seen their referral numbers increase every year since they were introduced in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan commits to expanding these services so that 1.9 million people can access them by 2023/2024.<br /><br /><br /><br />Psychiatric medicines are another important part of treatment. They can improve symptoms by altering how chemicals in your brain work. They can also help alleviate the side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will prescribe the appropriate medication for you.<br /><br />There are a variety of talk therapies, such as individual therapy and group therapy. Some of these treatments are offered in person, while other can be done via remote access. Some patients prefer face-to-face treatment, but it is a matter of choice. Mind is one of many charities that provide support groups and courses. Their website contains a wealth of information that is reliable, however you must be aware that there's plenty of inaccurate or misleading information available on the internet regarding mental health issues.<br /><br />While the NHS is improving its mental health care but it's still struggling to cope with demand. There are 54 mental health trusts across the UK, and most of them receive funding from clinical commissioning groups to deliver their service. They are usually located in a specific region however they can also be contracted to provide national services.<br /><br />A key issue is the insufficient resources to meet the demands of the rising population. There are also concerns over the quality of care and there is a shortage of nurses and psychiatrists. The NHS is trying to improve the quality of care by introducing new methods of work and delivering more training. It also introduces safer and more effective ways to help people in crisis like mobile crisis teams and safe areas.<br /><br />Supporting you<br /><br />Since the NHS launched 70 years ago there have been numerous positive developments for people suffering from mental health problems. The options for treatment have grown and social barriers have been taken down. However, there is much to be done.<br /><br />People who are experiencing mental illness need to get the help they need quickly and easily. This is why the NHS is working hard to improve the quality of services for those who require them. By 2020/21, we will make sure that all acute hospitals have a mental health liaison service both in A&amp;E as well as on wards for patients, and that 70% of these will be in compliance with the core 24 standard by 2023/24. Then we will work towards 100 percent coverage.<br /><br />We will also extend services for those who require them in the community, such as psychotherapy, in order to provide hundreds of thousands of people suffering from severe or common mental health issues the help they require. We will continue to work on the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) program to ensure that more people can be visited by therapists who are qualified, more quickly.<br /><br />The NHS offers free, confidential helplines to anyone struggling with a mental health issue. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines available. These helplines are operated entirely by volunteers who offer a safe place to talk or offer advice and guidance about how to handle your mental health issues.<br /><br />There are also a number local organizations that can offer assistance and support to those who suffer from mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping techniques and activities can be included. Many of these organisations offer face-toface support groups to those who would prefer it.<br /><br />The University's Open Door Team offers a drop-in counseling service for students experiencing stress or depression. There is also the Nightline student counselling service that provides confidential listening and support from knowledgeable volunteers, or details on other services. Charities like Mind and Rethink can provide many sources of information and support both on the internet and in local groups. They can offer a range of courses and activities including mindfulness classes to art classes, which are useful for people with mental health issues.<br /><br />Referrals<br /><br />With mental health services under pressure, GPs are having to make difficult decisions regarding the services they will refer patients to. The GP will look at the medical history of the patient and refer them to services they believe can help. They may send a referral to an NHS trust or an independent provider.<br /><br />A mental health specialist will assess the referral to determine if it's appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't happy with the referral, they'll call the GP to discuss their decision and explain the reasons. They might request the GP to alter the referral or ask for more information.<br /><br />Referrals to 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 people to either a preliminary mental health clinical assessment service or directly to an outpatient appointment. Not all CMHTs provide both options, and the system is not able to be used for all kinds of mental health referrals.<br /><br />A GP might also decide to refer a patient to an expert community mental health service (CMT). They are typically run by a major local healthcare organization or a hospital. CMTs are a great option for those who need to visit a psychologist or psychiatrist but don't require inpatient care. They also provide an early intervention service in which psychiatrists collaborate with therapist in order to help someone overcome a crisis or improve the quality of their lives.<br /><br />CMTs face the challenge of ensuring that all referrals are made within a reasonable amount of time. One of the issues is that many referrals are deemed urgent, despite the fact that they may not be. This can cause patients who aren't in crisis to be rushed and suffer delays.<br /><br />To address <a href="https://www.justingittleman.top/health/the-little-known-benefits-of-private-mental-health-diagnosis/">additional reading</a> , certain CMHTs are working to establish more consistent standards for what is considered an urgent referral. This is being achieved through the use of an established referral form that requires a referrer to consider whether the case is urgent. The proforma includes a box for the referrer to tick if they feel the referral is urgent.<br /><br />