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So You've Bought Mental Health Services NHS ... Now What?
Mental Health Services on the NHS

The NHS has responded to the rise in mental health issues by offering services. This includes:

The Long Term Plan reaffirmed its commitment to invest more in mental healthcare services faster than overall NHS budget. This will include specialist work in suicide prevention.

Get assistance

One of four people will suffer from mental illness at one time in their lives. The good news is that there are many ways to get help, and many of us will be able to recover over time. It's important to understand what help is available and who can offer it.

You can get help from your doctor or your local health center, or a mental health team in your area. These teams are comprised of nurses, occupational therapists psychotherapists, psychotherapists and speech and language therapists who work together with those who utilize the service. Based on the type of assistance you require you could receive individual or group therapy.

You will be asked to fill out a form by your GP so that they can refer you to a mental health service in the community. They will also talk with you about what kind of help you need. You will then be seen by a member of a mental health team that may include a psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker. In certain instances a clinical nurse specialist will carry out your assessment and treatment. If you are experiencing crisis, call the NHS 111 helpline for urgent support. If you are already receiving mental health support, it is best to contact your primary team first, unless it is out of office hours, on a weekend or a bank holiday.


The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health detailed plans to establish multidisciplinary, community-based mental health teams that are connected to primary care networks. These will help to improve the quality of care that is provided to those experiencing an illness of mental health and offer support within their communities and homes rather than in hospitals.

The plan also aimed at help make crisis services more accessible by reducing waiting times and allowing more beds. It also proposes the mental transport vehicle and ensure that all ambulances are stocked with a mental liaison nurse in the control room to improve how patients who are suffering from mental illness are assisted in emergency situations.

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 conditions will require a specialist team. These teams work in both community and primary health services for mental health, as well psychiatric hospital. You can also seek help in a secure environment should you be in a state of crisis.

Talking treatments for anxiety and depression are one of the main treatments. Previously known as IAPT These programs have seen the number of people who seek them increase every year since their launch in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan commits to expanding these services so that 1.9 million people can access them in 2023/2024.

Psychiatric medications are also a vital part of treatment. They can help alleviate symptoms by altering the way that chemicals function in your brain. They can be used to lessen the negative effects of other treatments. Your doctor will prescribe the appropriate medicine for you.

A wide variety of talking therapy treatments are available which include group therapy as well as individual therapy. Some of them are offered in person, whereas others are available remotely. Some patients prefer treatment in person, but this is a personal preference. Mind is one of the charities that provide support groups and classes. Their website is full of trustworthy information, but you should be aware of the fact that there's plenty of misleading or false information on the internet about mental health issues.

While the NHS is advancing its mental health care but it's still struggling to cope with demand. There are 54 mental health trusts in the UK, and most of are funded by clinical commissioning groups to provide their service. They are typically located in a specific region, but can be commissioned to deliver national services.

The main issue is the lack of resources to meet the demands of the rising population. There are concerns about the quality of care and the shortage of psychiatrists and nurses. The NHS is striving to improve its services by introducing new ways of working and offering more training. It also provides safer and more effective ways to help people who are in crisis. This includes mobile crisis teams and secure 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 gotten more diverse and social barriers are being taken down. But there is still more to be done.

People experiencing mental health problems require the ability to access the help they need quickly and easily. This is why the NHS is working hard to improve the services available to those who need these services. We will ensure that every acute hospital is without the mental health liaison service in A&E departments and wards for inpatients by 2020/21. 70% of these services will be in line with the "core 24" standard by 2023/24. We will work towards achieving 100% coverage afterward.

We will also increase community services, including talking therapy, to offer assistance to hundreds of thousands of individuals suffering from mental health issues, whether they are severe or common. We will continue to work on the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) program so that more people are treated by trained therapists quicker.

The NHS provides confidential, free helplines to those suffering from mental health issues. These include the Samaritans and Mind and Rethink. These helplines are operated entirely by volunteers who offer an environment where you can talk to someone in a safe manner or provide advice and information about how to handle your mental health issues.

Additionally to that, there are a lot of local organizations that can offer support and guidance for those suffering from mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping methods and activities can be included. Many of these organisations also offer face-to-face support groups for those who prefer this option.

For students, there is the University's Open Door Team which offers a drop-in counselling service for those who feel depressed or stressed. There's also the Nightline student counselling service that offers confidential listening and support from experienced volunteers, or details on other services. Charities like Mind and Rethink can provide a wealth of information and assistance, both on the internet and in local groups. They can offer a range of activities and courses ranging from mindfulness to art classes that are beneficial for those with mental health issues.

Referring someone to you

With mental health services under pressure, GPs have to make difficult choices about what specialist services they should refer patients to. The doctor will take the patient's medical history into consideration and then recommend them to a service they believe can assist. private mental health assessment near me may send a referral either 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'll contact the GP and explain their reasons. They may also ask the GP to alter the referral or request additional details.

The ability to refer patients to a local Community Mental Health Team can be made through the NHS e-Referral Service. The system permits GPs and other healthcare professionals to refer patients to either a mental health clinical assessment or directly to an appointment with an outpatient. Not all CMHTs offer both options, and the system is not able to be used for all kinds of mental health referrals.

A doctor may also decide to refer a patient to an expert community mental health service (CMT). They are typically run by an enormous hospital or a local healthcare organisation. CMTs are a great option for people who wish to consult a qualified psychologist or psychiatrist, but don't require inpatient care. They can also provide an early intervention program, where a psychiatrist will work with an therapist to help a person overcome a problem or improve their quality of life.

CMTs are faced with the task of making sure that all referrals are received within a reasonable amount of time. One of the challenges is that a large number of referrals are deemed urgent, even though they may not be. This can cause patients who aren't in a crisis to be overwhelmed and suffer delays.

To tackle this issue, a few CMHTs have tried to establish more uniform standards for what constitutes an urgent referral. This has been achieved through the use of a standardised referral proforma that requires a referrer consider whether the case is urgent. The proforma has a box that the referrer is able to tick to indicate if the referral is urgent.

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