20 Fun Infographics About Mental Health Services NHS
Mental Health Services on the NHS
There has been an enormous increase in people seeking help 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 investment in mental health services faster than the NHS budget overall. This will include specialized work in suicide prevention.
Getting help
One in four people will suffer from a mental illness at some time in their lives. The good news is that there are many different ways to get help, and most people recover with time. It is important to know the types of help available and who can provide it.
You can seek assistance from your GP or the local health center or mental health service in your area. These teams consist of nurses, occupational therapists psychotherapists, psychotherapists and speech and language therapists who work with the people who utilize the service. Based on the kind of help you require you could receive individual or group therapy.
You will be asked to complete a form with your GP so they can refer you to a mental health team in the community. They will also ask you what type of assistance you require. You will then be seen by a member of the mental health team, which may comprise a psychiatrist psychologist or social worker. In some cases your evaluation and treatment will be conducted by a nurse specialist. If you are experiencing an emergency, you can contact the NHS 111 helpline for urgent assistance. If you already receive support for your mental health it is recommended to contact your primary team first, unless it is out of office hours, on a weekend or bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health set out plans to establish more place-based, multidisciplinary community mental health teams that have links to primary care networks. These teams will improve the quality of the care provided to those in crisis, and will provide assistance to patients in their own homes and communities instead of in hospitals.
The plan aims to make crisis services more accessible by decreasing wait times and allowing more beds. It would also introduce a mental transport vehicle and ensure that all ambulances are stocked with a mental liaison nurse in the control room to ensure that those who are experiencing mental distress are supported during emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a range of treatment options for mental health issues. The less severe disorders are typically treated by GPs, while more serious conditions require specialists. These teams operate in both community and primary health services for mental health, as well psychiatric hospital. There are also safe places where you can seek assistance if you are feeling in a state of crisis.
Talking therapies for depression and anxiety are one of the main kinds of treatment. These programs, previously referred to as IAPT (Interactive Assessment and Psychotherapy), have seen their numbers of clients increase every year since they were launched in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan commits to expanding these programs to ensure that 1.9 million people can access them in 2023/2024.
Psychiatric drugs are a different part of treatment. They can improve symptoms by altering how the brain's chemicals work. They can also be used to minimize the adverse effects of other treatments. Your doctor will prescribe the right medicine for you.
There are a variety of talk therapy, including group therapy and individual therapy. Some of these are delivered in person, but others are available remotely. Some patients prefer receiving treatment in person, but this is a personal preference. Mind is one of the organizations that offer support groups and classes. The site is full of information that is reliable however, be aware that there are numerous false or misleading statements that are posted on the internet about mental health issues.
While the NHS is advancing its mental health care however, it is still struggling to keep up with demand. There are 54 mental health trusts in the UK, and most of are funded by clinical commissioning organizations to deliver their service. They are usually located in a particular region however, they can also be contracted to provide national services.
The lack of resources is a major problem. There are also concerns about mental health checkup of care, and a shortage of nurses and psychiatrists. The NHS is trying to improve these services by providing more training and developing new ways of working. It also offers safer and more effective methods to treat people in crisis. This includes mobile crisis teams and safe spaces.
We are here to help you
Since the NHS was first introduced 70 years ago, there are positive changes for people suffering from mental health issues. Treatment options have gotten more diverse and social barriers are being broken down. But there is still more to be done.
People who are suffering from a mental health crisis need to be able to access the help they require quickly and easily. This is why the NHS is working hard to improve the quality of services for those who require them. We will ensure that every acute hospital does not have a mental health liaison 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. Then we will work towards 100% coverage thereafter.
We will also enhance community services, including talk therapy, to provide assistance to hundreds of thousands of people suffering from mental health issues, whether they are common or severe. We will continue to work on our national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies program (IAPT) to ensure that more people suffering from mental health problems are seen faster by qualified therapists.
The NHS provides confidential, free assistance to anyone suffering from mental health issues. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines that are available. These helplines are run by trained volunteers and provide an environment where you can talk in a safe manner or provide advice and information on how to manage your mental health issues.
Additionally to that, there are a lot of local organizations that provide support and guidance to those with mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping strategies and activities can be included. 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 feeling down or stressed. Nightline is a student counseling service that offers confidential listening, support and information from knowledgeable volunteers. Charities like Mind and Rethink are a excellent source of information and offer support in many forms that include online and through local groups. They can also offer various classes and activities, ranging from mindfulness to art groups that could be beneficial for those living with mental health problems.
Referrals
Mental health services are under strain and GPs are forced to make difficult choices about the best specialist services to refer their patients to. The GP will look at the patient's medical background and recommend them to services they believe will be able assist. They may send a referral to an NHS trust or an independent service.
A mental health professional will then assess the referral and decide 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 why. They may also ask the GP to change the referral or ask for more details.
The referral to a local Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) can be made through the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS). The system allows doctors and other healthcare professionals direct patients to a preliminary assessment for mental health or directly to an appointment. However there are some exceptions. CMHTs provide both options, and the system can't be used for every type of mental health referral.
A doctor may also decide to refer a person to a specialist community mental health service (CMT). They are typically run by a large local healthcare organisation or hospital. CMTs can be a good option for people who wish to see an experienced psychologist or psychiatrist but don't require inpatient care. They can also offer an early intervention program where psychiatrists work with a therapist in order to assist someone in overcoming a crisis or improve the quality of their lives.
CMTs face the challenge of ensuring that all referrals are received within a reasonable amount of time. Many referrals are deemed urgent, even though they might not be. This can lead to over-working and delays for people who are not in crisis.
To address this issue, certain CMHTs are working to establish more consistent guidelines for what is considered an urgent referral. This has been accomplished through the use of the standardised referral forma that requires the referrer to determine if the case is urgent. The proforma includes a box that the referrer can tick in the event that they believe the referral is urgent.