Is Technology Making Mental Health Services NHS Better Or Worse?
Is Technology Making Mental Health Services NHS Better Or Worse?
Blog Article
Mental Health Services on the NHS
There has been an enormous rise 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 invest more in mental health services faster than overall NHS budget. This will include specialist work in suicide prevention.
Get help
One out of four people will be affected by mental illness at some time in their lives. The good news is that there are a variety of different ways to seek help and most of us recover over time. It is important to know what assistance is available and who can provide it.
You can seek assistance from your GP or the local health center or a mental health service in your area. These teams are comprised of occupational and nurse speech therapists, and psychotherapists. They work with the people who use their services. You can get individual or group therapy depending on the type of help you require.
You will be asked to complete a form with your GP so that they can refer you to a mental health professional in the community. They will also speak to you about the kind of help you require. You will then be examined by a member of a mental health team, which may include a psychiatrist, social worker or psychologist. In certain instances a clinical nurse specialist will carry out your assessment and treatment. You can call the NHS 111 helpline for assistance if you're in an emergency. If you already receive support for your mental health It is recommended to contact your regular team first, unless it's outside of hours, or on a weekend or bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health detailed plans to create multidisciplinary team of mental health professionals in the community which are connected to primary care networks. These plans will aid in improving the quality of care provided to those suffering from a mental health crisis and provide support within their communities and homes rather than in hospitals.
The plan also aims to make emergency services available by reducing wait times and opening up 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 improve how those who are experiencing mental distress are assisted in emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a variety of treatment options for mental health problems. GPs are usually able to treat minor illnesses, however more serious illnesses will require a specialist team. These teams operate across primary and community mental health services as well as psychiatric hospitals. You can also seek assistance in a secure space if you feel in crisis.
Talking therapies are one of the most common types of treatment for depression and anxiety. These programs, previously known as IAPT (Interactive Assessment and Psychotherapy) have seen their number of referrals increase each year since they launched in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan commits to expanding these services so that 1.9 million people can access them by 2023/2024.
The use of psychiatric medication is also an important part of treatment. They can alleviate symptoms by changing the way the brain's chemicals function. They can also help alleviate the side effects of other treatments. Your doctor will suggest a medicine that is right for you.
There are a variety of talk therapy, including group therapy and individual therapy. Some of them are offered in person, but others can be delivered online. Some patients prefer face to face treatment, but it is the choice of the patient. There are a variety of charities which offer support groups and classes, such as Mind. The website contains a wealth 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 about mental health issues.
The NHS is working to improve mental health care but it struggles to meet the demands. In the UK, there are 54 mental trusts. The majority of them receive funding for their services here from clinical commissioning group. They typically are located in a specific region however, they can also be commissioned to deliver national services.
The main issue is the lack of resources to meet rising demand. There are concerns over 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 is also introducing safer and more effective ways to treat people in crisis including mobile crisis teams and secure areas.
Supporting you
Since the NHS was established 70 years ago there have been numerous positive changes for people with mental health issues. The options for treatment have grown and social barriers have been smashed down. But there is much more to be done.
People who are suffering from mental health problems require the ability to get the help they require quickly and easily. This is why the NHS is working hard to improve services for people who need them. We will ensure that no acute hospital does not have a mental health liaison service in A&E departments and inpatient wards by 2020/21. We will also ensure that 70% of these services will meet the "core 24" standard by 2023/24, working towards a 100% coverage rate after that.
We will also expand services for the community, such as talking therapy, to provide assistance to hundreds of thousands of individuals suffering from mental health problems regardless of 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 are seen faster by trained therapists.
The NHS offers free, confidential helplines to anyone struggling with mental health issues. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines that are available. These helplines are operated by trained volunteers. check here They provide a safe space to talk, or offer information and advice on how to deal with your mental health concerns.
Additionally to that, there are a lot of here local organizations that can offer support and guidance for those suffering from mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping strategies and other here activities are all possible. Many of these organizations also offer face-to-face support groups for those who would prefer this type of support.
For students, there is the University's Open Door Team which offers an opportunity to consult with a counsellor at any time for those feeling down or stressed. There is 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 an abundance of information and support both online and in local groups. They can provide a variety of activities and courses ranging including mindfulness classes to art classes, which can be beneficial for those suffering from mental health issues.
Referrals
Mental health services are under strain and GPs must make difficult choices regarding which specialist services to refer their patients to. The doctor will take a patient's medical history into consideration and then refer them to a service they believe could be able to assist. They might send a referral to an NHS trust or an independent provider.
A mental health specialist will then evaluate the referral and decide if it's appropriate or not. If the specialist doesn't like the referral, they'll call the GP and explain their reasons. They could request the GP to change the referral or ask for more information.
Referrals to a local Community Mental Health Team can be made via the NHS e-Referral Service. The system lets doctors and other healthcare professionals direct patients to an initial clinical assessment service for mental health or directly to an appointment. Not all CMHTs offer both options, and the system can't be used for all kinds of mental health referrals.
A GP may refer a patient to here a community mental health specialist service (CMT). They are typically run by an extensive hospital or a local healthcare organization. CMTs can be a good alternative for those looking to consult with a seasoned psychologist or psychiatrist but don't require inpatient care. They can also provide an early intervention program where psychiatrists collaborate with therapist in order to assist a person overcome any crisis or improve the quality of their life.
One of the major challenges that CMTs CMT is to ensure that all appropriate referrals are allocated within an appropriate time frame. Many referrals are deemed urgent, even though they might not be. This can lead to delays and over-working for those who are not in crisis.
To address this issue certain CMHTs are working to establish more uniform standards for what is an urgent referral. This has been achieved through the use of an established referral form that requires the referrer to determine if the case is urgent. The form includes a box that the referrer can tick to indicate if the referral is urgent.