how to get a mental health assessment on the NHS
There has been a huge rise in people seeking help for mental health issues and the NHS has responded by offering services. This includes:
The Long Term Plan has made the commitment to increase investment in mental health services faster than the NHS budget overall. This includes the work of a specialist in suicide prevention.
Getting help
One in four of us will experience a mental health problem at some time in our lives. The good news is that there are plenty of different options to seek help, and most people recover after a while. However, it is important to know what assistance is available, and who can provide it.
You can seek assistance from a variety places like your GP (primary care medical doctor) as well as your local health center or a community mental health team. These teams are comprised of occupational therapists, nurses, psychotherapists and speech and language therapists who collaborate with people who use the service. Based on the kind of help you require you might be provided with individual or group therapy.
You will be asked to fill out a form from your GP so they can refer you to a mental health service in the community. They will also ask what you require in terms of support. You will then be seen by a member of a mental health team that may comprise a psychiatrist social worker or psychologist. In certain instances the clinical nurse specialist will carry out your assessment and treatment. You can contact the NHS 111 helpline when you're in a crisis. If you're already being supported by mental health services, it's a good idea try and contact your usual team first unless it's out of core hours, the 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 that have links to primary care networks. They will improve the quality of the care provided to those experiencing a mental health crisis and offer support within their communities and homes instead of in hospitals.
The plan also aimed to help make crisis services more accessible by reducing wait times and opening more beds. It would also introduce mental health transport vehicles and ensure that every ambulance has a mental health liaison nurse in their control rooms to ensure people suffering from a mental health crisis are assisted in emergencies.
Treatment options
The NHS offers a range of treatment options for mental health issues. GPs typically have the ability to treat less severe conditions, but more severe illnesses will require an expert team. These teams are located in community and primary health services for mental health as well as psychiatric hospitals. There are also safe spaces where you can get help if you are feeling in a crisis.
Talking therapies are among the most popular forms of treatment for anxiety and depression. These programs, formerly known as IAPT (Interactive Assessment and Psychotherapy) have seen their referral numbers increase each year since they were launched in 2008. The NHS Long Term Plan commits to expanding these services to ensure that 1.9 million people will be able to use them in 2023/2024.
Psychiatric medications are also an important component of treatment. They can help alleviate symptoms by altering the way chemicals in your brain work. They can also be used to alleviate the side effects of other treatments. book a mental health assessment will suggest the right medication for you.
A wide variety of talking therapy options are offered, including group therapy and individual therapy. Some of them are offered in person, while others can be delivered remotely. Some patients prefer face-to-face treatment, but it's an individual choice. Mind is one of the organizations that offer support groups and classes. The site contains a wealth of information that is reliable however, be aware of the fact that there are many false or misleading claims on the internet regarding mental health issues.
While the NHS is advancing its mental health services however, it is still struggling to meet the demands. There are 54 mental health trusts across the UK and the majority of are funded by clinical commissioning groups to deliver their services. They typically are located in a specific area, but can be contracted to provide national services.
The lack of resources is a major issue. There are also concerns over the quality of care and the shortage of nurses and psychiatrists. The NHS is trying to improve the quality of care by offering more training and developing new ways of working. It also introduces safer and more effective ways to treat people in crisis including mobile crisis teams and secure spaces.
We are here to help you
Since the NHS launched 70 years ago, there have been many positive developments for those suffering from mental health issues. The treatment options have gotten better and social barriers have been smashed down. However, there is still much to be done.
People who are suffering from a mental health crisis require the ability to get the help they require quickly and easily. The NHS is working to improve services so that people in need receive assistance. 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% of them will meet the standard of 24 by 2023/24. Then we will work towards 100% coverage.
We will also expand community services, including talk therapy, to offer support for hundreds of thousands of individuals suffering from mental health issues regardless of whether they are serious or common. We will continue to work on the national Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme so that more people can be visited by therapists who are qualified, quicker.
The NHS provides free, confidential helplines for anyone struggling with a mental health issue. Samaritans Mind and Rethink are some of the helplines available. These helplines are run entirely by volunteers who offer the opportunity to talk in a secure environment or provide advice and information on how to manage your mental health issues.
There are also a number local organizations that can offer help and advice to those with mental health issues. They can provide self-help guides, coping strategies, and activities to try. Many of these organisations offer face-toface support groups for those who prefer it.
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 are feeling down or stressed. Nightline is a student counselling service that offers confidential listening, support and information from experienced volunteers. Charities like Mind and Rethink can provide many sources of information and assistance, both online and in local groups. They offer 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 are forced to make difficult choices about which specialist services they should refer their patients to. The doctor will take the patient's medical history into account and then refer them to a specialist they believe could be able to assist. They might send a referral to an NHS trust or an independent provider.
A mental health professional will examine the referral to determine if the referral is appropriate or not. If the specialist isn't satisfied with the referral they will contact the GP to discuss their decision and explain the reason. They may also ask the GP for more information or to change the referral.
The referral to a local Community Mental Health Team (CMHT) can be made through the NHS e-Referral Service (e-RS). The system allows doctors and other healthcare professionals refer patients to either a preliminary assessment service for mental health or directly to an appointment. However, not all CMHTs provide both options, and the system isn't able to be used for every type of mental health referral.
A doctor may also refer patients to a community mental health specialist service (CMT). These are usually operated by a large local healthcare organization or hospital. CMTs are an excellent option for those who require to see a psychiatrist or psychologist but do not require inpatient treatment. They can also provide an early intervention service in which psychiatrists collaborate with therapy therapist to assist someone in overcoming a crisis or improve the quality of their life.
CMTs are faced with the task of ensuring that all referrals are made within a reasonable time. One of the issues is that a lot of referrals are deemed as urgent, even though they might not be. This can lead to delays and over-working for those who aren't in a crisis.
To tackle this issue, some CMHTs have tried to establish more uniform guidelines for what constitutes a referral urgent. This has been accomplished through the use of an established referral form that requires a referrer decide if the situation is urgent. The proforma includes a box for the referrer to check if they feel the referral is urgent.