Notes

14 Misconceptions Common To Mental Health Services NHS
Mental Health Services on the NHS

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

The Long Term Plan has made the commitment to increase the amount of money spent on mental health services more quickly than the NHS budget in general. This includes special suicide prevention services.

Get assistance

One of four of us will suffer from a mental health problem at some moment in our lives. The good news is that there are many ways to get assistance, and the majority of us will be able to recover with time. But it's important to know what assistance is available and who is able to provide it.

You can seek assistance from a variety of sources such as your doctor (primary medical doctor for primary care), your local health center or a community mental health team. These teams comprise of occupational and nurse psychotherapists and speech therapists. They work with the clients who seek their services. You can receive individual or group therapy, based on the kind of help you require.

You will be asked to fill out a form by your GP so that they can refer you to a mental health professional in the community. They will also talk to you about the kind of assistance you require. You will be seen by a member of a mental team, such as psychiatrist, psychologist or social worker. In some instances, your assessment and treatment will be conducted by a nurse specialist. If you're in crisis, contact the NHS 111 helpline for immediate support. If you're already being assisted by mental health services it's a good idea to call your usual team first, unless it's out of normal hours, on a weekend or on a bank holiday.

The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health detailed plans to establish multidisciplinary, community-based mental health teams that are linked to primary care networks. These teams will enhance the quality of the mental health services that is provided to those who are in a crisis, and will provide assistance to patients in their homes and community rather than in hospitals.

The plan also aimed at make crisis services more accessible by reducing wait 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 patients who are suffering from mental illness are helped in times of crisis.

Treatment options

The NHS offers a range of treatment options for mental health issues. GPs are often able to treat minor illnesses, however more serious illnesses will require a specialist team. These teams are located in primary and community health services for mental health and psychiatric hospitals. You can also seek help in a secure environment should you be in a state of crisis.

Talking treatments for anxiety and depression are among the main kinds of treatment. These programs, formerly known as IAPT (Interactive Assessment and Psychotherapy) have seen their referral numbers increase each year since they first introduced in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan commits to expanding these services so that 1.9 million people will be able to access them by 2023/2024.

Psychiatric medications are also a vital element of treatment. They can improve symptoms by changing the way chemicals in your brain work. They can also be used to ease side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will suggest the right medication for you.

A wide range of talking therapy treatments are available which include group therapy as well as individual therapy. Some of them are offered in person, while others can be delivered via a remote device. Some patients prefer face to face treatment, but it is a matter of choice. There are a variety of charities that provide support groups and classes, such as Mind. Their website has a lot of information that is reliable, however you must be aware that there's a lot of false or misleading information available on the internet regarding mental health issues.

The NHS is improving the mental health system, but it's struggling to meet the demands. There are 54 mental health trusts in the UK and the majority of they receive funding from clinical commissioning groups to provide their services. They are typically located in a particular region, but can be contracted to provide national services.

A key issue is the insufficient resources to meet the growing demand. There are concerns over the quality and shortage of nurses and psychiatrists. The NHS is trying to improve the quality of care by delivering more training and introducing new ways of working. It also offers safer and more effective methods to treat people in crisis. These include mobile crisis teams and secure spaces.

Helping relevant webpage

Since the NHS was launched 70 years ago there have been a lot of positive changes for people with mental health issues. The options for treatment have grown and social barriers have been smashed down. But there's still a lot to be done.

People who are suffering from mental health issues should receive the help they require quickly and easily. That's why the NHS is working hard to improve the services available to those who require them. By 2020/21 we will ensure that all acute hospitals have a mental-health liaison service both in A&E as well as on wards for patients, and that 70% will meet the standard of 24 by 2023/24. Then we will work towards 100 percent coverage.

We will also expand community services, including talk therapy, in order to provide support for hundreds of thousands of people suffering from mental health problems, whether they are common or severe. We will continue to work on our national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies program (IAPT), so that more people suffering from mental health conditions can be seen more quickly by therapists who are qualified.

The NHS offers confidential, no-cost helplines to anyone struggling with mental health issues. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines available. These helplines are run entirely by volunteers who offer an environment where you can talk to someone in a safe manner or give advice and information on how to manage your mental health issues.

In addition there are a variety of local organizations that offer support and guidance for those suffering from mental health issues. These include self-help guides, coping strategies and activities to try. Many of these organizations also provide support groups in person for those who would prefer this type of support.


For students, there's the University's Open Door Team which offers an opportunity to consult with a counsellor at any time for those who feel low or stressed. Nightline is a student counselling service that offers confidential listening as well as information and support from experienced volunteers. Charities such as Mind and Rethink can provide an abundance of information and assistance, both online and in local groups. They can provide a variety of courses and activities including mindfulness classes to art classes that are beneficial for those with mental health issues.

Referring someone to you

Mental health services are under strain and GPs are forced to make difficult choices about which specialist services to refer their patients to. The GP will consider the medical history of the patient and refer them to services they believe will be able to aid. They may refer a patient to an NHS trust or an independent provider.

A mental health professional will examine the referral to determine if it's appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't satisfied with the referral, they'll call the GP and explain the reasons. They may also request the GP for more information or to alter the referral.

The referral to a local Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) may be made via the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS). The system allows GPs and other healthcare professionals to refer people to either a preliminary mental health clinical assessment service or directly to an outpatient appointment. However there are some exceptions. CMHTs provide both options, and the system isn't able to be used for every kind of mental health referral.

A doctor may also refer a patient to a community mental health specialist service (CMT). These are usually operated by a large local healthcare organisation 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 can also provide an early intervention program, where a psychiatrist will work with an therapist to help a person overcome a crisis or improve their quality of life.

CMTs are faced with the task of making sure that all referrals are received within a reasonable time. One of the issues is that a lot of referrals are deemed as urgent, despite the fact that they may not be. This can result in over-working and delays for people who aren't in need.

To tackle this issue, some CMHTs are trying to establish more consistent standards for what is considered an urgent referral. This was achieved through a standardised form which asks the referrer if they believe the case is urgent. The proforma has a box that the referrer can tick if the request is urgent.

Here's my website: https://www.iampsychiatry.uk/private-mental-health-assessments/