Mental Health Services on the NHS

There has been a massive increase in people seeking help for mental health issues and the NHS has responded by offering services. This includes:

The Long Term Plan reaffirmed its commitment to increase investment in mental health services faster than the overall NHS budget. This includes specialist work in suicide prevention.

Getting help

One of four of us will have mental health issues at some point in our lives. The good news is that there are a variety of different options to seek help and most of us recover with time. However, it is important to know what assistance is available, and who is able to provide it.

You can seek assistance from a variety places such as your doctor (primary medical doctor who treats patients), your local health center or a community mental health team. These teams are comprised of occupational therapists, nurses psychotherapists, psychotherapists, and speech and language therapists who work together with the people who utilize the service. Based on the kind of assistance you require you could receive individual or group therapy.

Your GP will usually require you to fill out the form so that they can make a referral to a local mental health team. They will also talk to you about what kind of assistance you require. You will be seen by members of a mental team, such as psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker. In some cases a clinical nurse specialist will conduct your assessment and treatment. You can call the NHS 111 helpline if you are in a crisis. If you're already supported by mental health services, it's a good idea to call your usual team first, unless it's outside of core hours, the weekend or on a bank holiday.

The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health outlined plans to create more multidisciplinary, place-based community mental health teams, with connections to primary care networks. They will improve the quality of the care provided to those suffering from an illness of mental health and offer support in their homes and communities rather than in hospitals.

The plan also aims at making crisis services accessible by reducing waiting times and opening 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 mental health issues are assisted in emergencies.

Treatment options

The NHS offers a wide array of treatment options for people suffering from mental health problems. Disorders that are less severe are usually treated by GPs however more serious conditions require specialists. These teams operate across community and primary mental health services as well as the psychiatric hospitals. There are also safe places where you can seek assistance for those who are in a crisis.

Talking therapies are one of the most commonly used forms of treatment for anxiety and depression. private mental health assessment , formerly known as IAPT (Interactive Assessment and Psychotherapy) have seen their number of referrals increase each year since they introduced in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan has committed to expanding these services to 1.9 million people by 2023/2024.

Psychiatric medicines are another important component of treatment. They can improve symptoms by altering how the brain's chemicals work. They can be used to reduce the side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will prescribe the best medicine for you.

There are many kinds of talk therapies, such as individual therapy and group therapy. Some of these therapies are offered in person, while other can be performed remotely. Some patients prefer treatment in person, but that is a personal preference. There are also a lot of charities that offer support groups and courses like Mind. The site is full of information that is reliable but you should be aware of the fact that there are a lot of false or misleading statements that are posted on the internet regarding mental health issues.

The NHS is working to improve the mental health system, but it's struggling to meet demand. In the UK there are 54 mental trusts. They receive the majority of funding for their services from clinical commissioning groups. They are usually located in a specific area however, they can also be commissioned to deliver national services.

The main issue is the insufficient resources to meet the demands of the rising population. There are concerns about the quality and shortage of nurses and psychiatrists. The NHS is trying to improve the quality of care by offering more training and introducing new methods of working. It also provides safer and more effective methods of treating people who are in crisis. This includes mobile crisis teams and safe space.

Supporting you

Since the NHS was first introduced 70 years ago, there are positive changes for those with mental health issues. The treatment options have increased and social barriers have been broken down. But there is still more to be done.

Patients who are experiencing mental health problems need to be able to get the help they require quickly and easily. The NHS is working to improve services to ensure that those who need them can get help. In 2020/21, we will ensure that all acute hospitals have a mental health liaison service that is available in A&E and on wards for inpatients, and that 70% will meet the standard of 24 by 2023/24. Then we will strive for 100 percent coverage.

We will also expand services for those who require them in the community, which includes therapy for talking, which will give hundreds of thousands of people with common or severe mental health conditions the support they require. We will continue to work on our national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme (IAPT), so that more people with mental health conditions can be seen quicker by trained therapists.


The NHS offers free, confidential helplines to anyone suffering from a mental health issue. They include the Samaritans, Mind and Rethink. These helplines are run entirely by volunteers who provide an environment where you can talk to someone in a safe manner or offer advice and guidance on how to deal your mental health concerns.

In addition to that, there are a lot of local organizations that offer support and guidance for those suffering from mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping techniques and other activities are available. Many of these organisations also offer face-to-face support groups for those who prefer this method.

For students, there is the University's Open Door Team which offers the opportunity to visit a counselling center for those feeling down or stressed. There is also the Nightline student counselling service, which provides confidential listening and support from experienced volunteers, or information 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 activities and courses ranging including mindfulness classes to art classes, which can be beneficial for those suffering from mental health issues.

Referrals

With mental health services under pressure, doctors are forced to make difficult decisions regarding what specialist services they should refer patients to. The GP will consider the medical history of the patient and recommend them to services they believe will be able assist. They may send a referral to an NHS trust or an independent provider.

A mental health specialist will then assess the referral and decide whether it's appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't satisfied with the referral, they will contact the GP and explain why. They may also ask the GP to modify the referral or request additional information.

Referrals to a local Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) can be made through the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS). The system allows GPs and other healthcare professionals to refer people to either a mental health clinical assessment or directly to an appointment with an outpatient. Not all CMHTs offer both options, and the system can't be used for all kinds of mental health referrals.

A GP may decide to refer a patient to an expert community mental health service (CMT). They are typically run by a major local healthcare organisation or a hospital. CMTs are a great option for people who wish to consult a qualified psychiatrist or psychologist but don't need inpatient treatment. They also provide an early intervention service in which a psychiatrist works with a therapy therapist to assist someone in overcoming any crisis or improve the quality of their life.

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 may not be. This can result in delays and over-working for those who are not in crisis.

To tackle this issue, some CMHTs are trying to establish more consistent standards for what is an urgent referral. This is being achieved by using an established referral form that requires a referrer to determine if the case is urgent. The form includes a box that the referrer has to check to indicate if the request is urgent.