Does Technology Make Mental Health Services NHS Better Or Worse?
Mental Health Services on the NHS
The NHS has responded to the rising number of mental health issues by offering services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan reaffirmed its commitment to increase investment in mental health services more quickly than the overall NHS budget. This will include special suicide prevention services.
Need help?
One out of four of us will experience mental health issues at some time in our lives. The good news is that there are a variety of ways to seek assistance, and the majority of us will recover over time. It is crucial to know what help is available and who can offer it.
You can seek help from your GP or your local health center or a mental health team within your local area. These teams are made up of nurses, occupational therapists psychotherapists, psychotherapists and speech and language therapists who work together with people who use the service. You may receive individual or group therapy, based on the type of assistance you need.
Your GP will usually request you to fill out a form so that they can make a referral to a community mental health team. They will also ask what type of assistance you require. You will be consulted by an individual from a mental team like psychologist, psychiatrist or social worker. In certain instances the clinical nurse specialist will perform your assessment and treatment. If you're experiencing an emergency, you can call the NHS 111 helpline for immediate support. If you are already receiving mental health support It is recommended to call your usual team first, unless it's outside of hours, or on a weekend, or a bank holiday.
updated blog post for Mental Health set out plans to establish more multidisciplinary, community-based, place-based mental health teams, with connections to primary care networks. These teams will improve the quality of the care delivered to people experiencing a crisis, and will provide assistance to patients in their own homes and communities instead of in hospitals.
The plan also aims to make emergency services available by reducing wait times and allowing more beds. It would also introduce mental health transport vehicles, and ensure that all ambulances have an official who is a mental health liaison in their control rooms to improve the way people suffering from mental health issues are supported in emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a variety of treatment options for mental health issues. GPs are usually able to treat less severe conditions, but more severe issues will require an expert team. These teams are spread across primary and community mental health services and the psychiatric hospitals. There are also safe spaces where you can seek help when you're in a crisis.
Talking therapies for depression and anxiety are among the most popular types of treatment. These programs, previously referred to 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 programs so that 1.9 million people will be able to access them in 2023/2024.
Psychiatric medications are another crucial aspect of treatment. They can improve symptoms by changing the way the brain's chemicals function. They can also be used to ease side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will prescribe the best medicine for you.
There are many kinds of talk therapy, including individual therapy and group therapy. Some of these are delivered in person, but others can be delivered online. Some patients prefer treatment in person, but this is a personal choice. Mind is one of many charities that provide support groups and courses. The website contains a wealth of information that is reliable however, be aware that there are numerous false or misleading statements that are posted on the internet regarding mental health issues.
The NHS is improving the quality of mental health care, but it struggles to meet the demand. There are 54 mental health trusts in the UK, and most of them receive funding from clinical commissioning groups to provide their service. They are usually located in a particular region however, they can also be commissioned to provide national services.
A key issue is the insufficient resources to meet rising demand. There are also concerns over the quality of care, and a shortage of psychiatrists and nurses. The NHS is trying to improve these services by offering more training and introducing new ways of working. It is also introducing more secure and efficient methods to help people in crisis, such as mobile crisis teams, as well as safe places.
Supporting you
Since the NHS was established 70 years ago there have been positive developments for people suffering from mental health issues. The treatment options have gotten better and social barriers have been smashed down. However, there is much to be done.
People who are experiencing mental health issues should receive the help they require quickly and easily. The NHS is striving to improve the quality of services to ensure that those who need them can get assistance. By 2020/21 we will ensure that all acute hospitals have a mental health liaison service that is available in A&E as well as on wards for patients, and that 70% of them will meet the core 24 standard by 2023/24. Then we will strive to achieve 100% coverage.
We will also enhance services for the community, such as talking therapy, in order to provide assistance to hundreds of thousands of people with mental health issues, whether they are common or severe. We will continue to work on the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) program so that more people can be visited by therapists who are qualified, more quickly.
The NHS offers free, confidential helplines for anyone suffering from a mental health issue. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines available. These helplines are operated by trained volunteers and provide an environment where you can talk in a safe manner, or offer information and advice on how to tackle your mental health issues.
There are a variety of local organizations that provide assistance and support to those with mental health issues. These can include self-help guides, coping strategies and activities to try. Many of these organizations offer face-toface support groups to those who would prefer it.
For students, there is the University's Open Door Team which offers the opportunity to visit a counselling center for those who are feeling down or stressed. There's also the Nightline student counselling service which provides confidential listening and support from knowledgeable volunteers, as well as information on other services. Charities such as Mind and Rethink are a great source of information and can offer support in many forms that include online and through local groups. They offer a variety of classes and activities, from mindfulness to art classes that are useful for people with mental health issues.
Referring someone to you
With mental health services under pressure, doctors are forced to make difficult decisions regarding what specialist services they should refer patients to. The doctor will take into consideration the patient's medical background and recommend them to services they believe can assist. They might send a referral to an NHS trust or an independent provider.
A mental health specialist will examine the referral to determine if it's appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't happy with the referral they will contact the GP to discuss their decision and explain the reason. They can also ask the GP for more details or to modify the referral.
Referrals to a local Community Mental Health Team can be made through the NHS e-Referral Service. The system allows doctors and other healthcare professionals refer patients to either an initial clinical assessment for mental health or directly to an appointment. Not all CMHTs offer both options, and the system cannot be used for all kinds of mental health referrals.
A doctor may also decide to refer a person to an expert community mental health service (CMT). They are typically run by a large hospital or local healthcare organisation. CMTs are a good choice for those who require to consult a psychologist or psychiatrist, but do not require inpatient treatment. They also offer an early intervention program, where a psychiatrist collaborates with a counselor to help someone overcome a problem or improve their life quality.
One of the biggest challenges faced by a CMT is ensuring that all referrals are made within an appropriate time frame. One of the issues is that a large number of referrals are considered urgent, even though they may not be. This can result in over-working and delays for people who aren't in a crisis.
To combat this problem, some CMHTs have tried to establish more uniform guidelines for what constitutes a referral urgent. Read the Full Article has been accomplished through the use of an established referral form that requires a referrer consider whether the case is urgent. The form includes a box that the referrer can tick if they feel that the referral is urgent.