Is Tech Making Mental Health Services NHS Better Or Worse?
Is Tech Making Mental Health Services NHS Better Or Worse?
Blog Article
Mental Health Services on the NHS
The NHS has responded to the rising number of mental health issues by providing services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan has made an unrepeatable commitment to increase the investment in mental health services more quickly than the NHS budget in general. This includes specialist suicide prevention work.
Getting 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 many ways to get help, and many of us will recover with time. It is important to know what assistance is available and who can provide it.
You can get help from your doctor or the local health center or a mental health service in your local area. These teams comprise of nurses, occupational and psychotherapists and speech therapists. They work with people who use their services. You can receive individual or group therapy depending on the kind of help you require.
Your GP will typically ask you to fill in an application form to refer you to a local mental health team. They will also talk to you about the type of help you need. Then, you will be viewed by a member of the mental health team, which could include a psychiatrist, social worker or psychologist. In some instances, a clinical nurse specialist will perform your assessment and treatment. If you're in crisis, call the NHS 111 helpline for immediate assistance. If you are already receiving mental health support It is recommended to call your usual team first, unless it's out of office hours, on a weekend or a bank holiday.
The Five Year Forward View for Mental Health outlined plans to create more multidisciplinary, community-based, place-based mental health teams, with connections to primary care networks. These teams will improve 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 own homes and communities instead of in hospitals.
The plan aims to make emergency services available by reducing wait times and opening up 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 patients who are suffering from mental illness are supported during emergency situations.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a range of treatment options to treat mental health issues. The less severe disorders are typically treated by GPs however more severe conditions require a specialist team. These teams are spread across community and primary mental health services, and also psychiatric hospitals. There are also safe spaces where you can seek help for those who are in a state of crisis.
Talking therapies for depression and anxiety are among the most popular treatments. These programs, formerly known as IAPT (Interactive Assessment and Psychotherapy), have seen their referral numbers increase each year since they were introduced in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan has committed to expanding these services to 1.9 million people by 2023/2024.
Psychiatric medications are another crucial component of treatment. They can alleviate symptoms by 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 right medication for you.
A variety of talk therapy options are available which include group therapy as well as individual therapy. Some of them are offered in person, whereas others can be delivered online. Some patients prefer treatment in person, but that is a personal choice. There are a variety of charities which offer classes and support groups like Mind. Their website contains a wealth of trustworthy information, but you must be aware of the fact that there's a lot of inaccurate or misleading information available on the internet regarding mental health issues.
The NHS is working to improve mental health care but it is struggling to meet the demands. In the UK, there are 54 mental trusts. Most of them receive funding for their services from the clinical commissioning groups. They are usually located in a specific area however, they are also able to be commissioned to provide national services.
The shortage of resources is a major issue. There are also concerns about the quality of care and the shortage of psychiatrists and nurses. The NHS is striving to improve its services by introducing new methods of work and delivering more training. It also introduces more efficient and safer methods to treat people in crisis. This includes mobile crisis teams and secure space.
Helping you
Since the NHS was launched 70 years ago, there have been positive changes for people suffering from mental health issues. Treatment options have expanded and social barriers are breaking down. But there is much more to be done.
People who are in a mental crisis need to receive the help they require quickly and easily. That's why the NHS is putting in the effort to improve the quality of services for those who require these services. We will ensure that no acute hospital does not have a mental health liaison service in A&E departments and wards for patients by 2020/21. 70% of these services will be in line with the "core 24" standard by 2023/24. Then we will work towards a 100% coverage rate after that.
We will also extend services for people who need them in the community, including talking therapies, to give hundreds of thousands of people suffering from severe or common mental health issues the help they require. We will continue to work on the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) program so that more people can be treated by trained therapists quicker.
The NHS provides confidential, free helplines to those suffering from mental health issues. They include the Samaritans, Mind and Rethink. These helplines are operated entirely by volunteers who provide a safe place to talk or give advice and information on how to manage your mental health concerns.
There are also local organisations that can provide assistance and support to those who suffer from mental health issues. Self-help guides, coping methods and activities can be included. Many of these organizations offer support groups that meet face-to-face to those who would prefer it.
The University's Open Door Team offers a drop-in counseling service for students who are feeling down or stressed. There's also the Nightline student counselling service that provides confidential listening and support from experienced volunteers, as well as information on other services. Charities like Mind and Rethink are a great source of information and provide support in a variety of ways that include online and through local groups. They also offer various classes and activities, from mindfulness to art classes which can be helpful for people who suffer from mental health problems.
Referrals
With mental health services under pressure, GPs have to make difficult decisions regarding what specialist services they should refer patients to. The doctor will take a patient's medical history into consideration and then refer them to a specialist they believe could be able to assist. They can send a referral to an NHS trust, or an independent provider.
A mental health specialist will assess the referral to determine if the referral is here appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't happy with the referral, they'll contact the GP and explain why. They might also ask get more info the GP to alter the referral or request more information.
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 send patients to either a preliminary assessment for mental health or directly to an appointment. However, not all CMHTs provide both options, and the system can't be used for every type of mental health referral.
A GP might decide to refer a person to an expert community mental health service (CMT). They are usually managed by a large hospital or read more local healthcare organisation. CMTs are a great alternative for those looking to see an experienced psychologist or psychiatrist, but don't require inpatient care. They can also provide an early intervention service in which a psychiatrist works with a therapy therapist to assist a person overcome an private mental health issue or improve the quality of their life.
One of the major challenges that CMTs CMT is to ensure that all suitable referrals are allocated within the proper time frame. One of the issues is that many referrals are deemed as urgent, even though they might not be. This can cause people who aren't in a crisis to be overwhelmed and suffer delays.
To tackle this issue, some CMHTs have attempted to establish more uniform guidelines for what constitutes an urgent referral. This was achieved through an established form that asks the referrer if the case is urgent. The form includes a box that the referrer website can tick in the event that they believe the referral is urgent.