Technology Is Making Mental Health Services NHS Better Or Worse?
Technology Is Making Mental Health Services NHS Better Or Worse?
Blog Article
Mental Health Services on the NHS
There has been an enormous increase in people seeking treatment for mental health issues, and the NHS has responded by providing services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan has made the commitment to increase investment in mental health services quicker than the NHS budget overall. This includes specialist work in suicide prevention.
Get help
One in four people will be affected by a mental illness at some point during their lives. The good news is there are a variety of ways to seek help, and many of us will be able to recover with time. It's important to understand what help is available and who can provide it.
You can seek help from a variety of places such as your GP (primary medical doctor who treats patients), your local health centre, or a community mental health team. These teams are comprised of occupational and nurse speech therapists, and psychotherapists. They collaborate with patients who require their services. Depending on the type of assistance you require you might be provided with individual or group therapy.
You will be asked to fill out a form by your doctor so that they can refer you to a mental health team in the community. They will also talk with you about the type of help you require. You will be consulted by a member of a mental team, such as psychologist, psychiatrist or social worker. In some instances a clinical nurse specialist will carry out your assessment and treatment. You can call the NHS 111 helpline when you're in an emergency. If you're already being assisted by mental health services, it's best to contact your regular 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 set out plans to establish more multidisciplinary, community-based, place-based mental health teams that have links to primary care networks. They will improve the quality of the care delivered to people who are experiencing a mental health crisis. They will also provide support in their homes and communities, rather than in hospital.
The plan aims to make emergency services available by decreasing waiting times and opening more beds. It would also include the mental transport vehicle and ensure that all ambulances are stocked with a mental liaison nurse in the control room to make sure that those who are experiencing mental distress are supported during emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a variety of treatment options for mental health conditions. GPs are usually able to treat milder illnesses, however more serious conditions will require an expert team. These teams are located in both community and primary mental healthcare services, as well psychiatric hospital. There are also safe places where you can get help when you're in a state of crisis.
Talking therapies for depression and anxiety are one of the main treatments. These programs, formerly known as IAPT (Interactive Assessment and Psychotherapy) have seen their number of referrals increase every year since they were launched in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan has committed to expanding these services to 1.9 million people by 2023/2024.
The use of psychiatric medication is also a vital component of treatment. They can improve symptoms through altering the way chemicals work in your brain. They can also be used to reduce the side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will prescribe the appropriate medicine for you.
A variety of talk therapy options are available, including group therapy and individual therapy. Some of them are offered in person, while others are available remotely. Some patients prefer face-to-face treatment, but it is an individual choice. There are also a number of charities that provide support groups and courses, such as Mind. Their website has a lot of trustworthy information, but you should be aware that there is lots of false or misleading information available on the internet regarding mental health issues.
While the NHS is working to improve its mental health services but it's still struggling to meet the demands. In the UK there are 54 mental trusts. Most of them here receive funding for their services from clinical commissioning group. They typically are located in a specific region, but can be contracted to provide national services.
The absence of resources is a major problem. There website are concerns over the quality and availability of psychiatrists and nurses. The NHS is working to improve the quality of care by providing more training and introducing new ways of working. It also offers more secure and efficient ways to help people who are in crisis. These include mobile crisis teams and safe spaces.
Supporting you
Since the NHS launched 70 years ago, there have been many positive developments for those suffering from mental health issues. Treatment options have increased and social barriers are breaking down. But there is much more to be done.
People who are suffering from mental illness need to receive the help they require quickly and easily. This is why the NHS is striving to improve services for people who require them. By 2020/21, we will make sure that all acute hospitals have a mental health liaison service, both in A&E and on wards for inpatients, and that 70% will meet the standard of 24 by 2023/24. Then we will work towards 100% coverage.
We will also increase services for people who need them in the community, including talking therapies, to give hundreds of thousands more patients with severe or common read more mental health issues the help they require. We will continue to work on our national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme (IAPT) to ensure that more people suffering from mental health problems can be seen quicker by qualified therapists.
The NHS provides free, confidential helplines for anyone suffering from mental health issues. They include the Samaritans, Mind and Rethink. These helplines are run entirely by volunteers who provide a safe place to talk or give advice and information on how to deal your mental health issues.
There are also a number local organizations that can offer support and guidance to people suffering from mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping strategies and activities can be included. A lot of these organizations offer face-to-face support groups for those who would prefer this type of support.
For students, there's the University's Open Door Team which offers a drop-in counselling service for those feeling down or stressed. Nightline is a student counseling service that offers private listening as well as information and support from knowledgeable volunteers. Charities such as Mind and Rethink are a great source of information and offer support in many forms that include online and through local groups. They can also offer a variety of classes and activities, ranging from mindfulness to art groups which can be helpful for people 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 look at the patient's medical background and recommend them to services they believe can assist. They may send a referral to an NHS trust, or an independent provider.
A mental health professional will then evaluate the referral and decide whether it's appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't happy with the referral, they will call the GP and explain their reasons. They may also ask the GP to modify the referral or ask for more information.
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 as well as other health professionals to refer people to either a preliminary mental health assessment or directly to an appointment with an outpatient. However, how to get a private mental health assessment not all CMHTs offer both options and the system can't be used for every type of mental health referral.
A doctor may refer a patient to a community mental health specialist service (CMT). They are typically run by a large hospital or local health care organization. CMTs can be a good alternative for those looking to consult with a seasoned psychologist or psychiatrist but don't need inpatient treatment. They also provide an early intervention program where psychiatrists work with a therapy therapist to assist a person overcome a crisis or improve the quality of their lives.
CMTs have the responsibility of ensuring that all referrals are received within a reasonable time. Many referrals are considered urgent, even though click here they might not be. This can result in delays and over-working for those who aren't in a crisis.
To address this issue, some CMHTs are trying to establish more consistent standards for what constitutes an urgent referral. This has been achieved by using an established referral form that requires the referrer to consider whether the case is urgent. The form has a checkbox that the referrer has to check to indicate if the request is urgent.