20 Important Questions To To Ask About Mental Health Assessment Before Purchasing It
Mental Health Assessment – What Happens If You Are Unhappy With Your Mental Health Assessment? If you have mental health issues, it is important to seek help. Mental illness is as serious as physical illness. Everyone should be treated with respect and dignity regardless of age, gender or race. APP recognises the need to combat discrimination. What is a Mental Health Assessment? A mental health assessment is an examination used to see how well someone is functioning psychologically, socially and developmentally. It can also be used to diagnose conditions such as depression and neurological diseases like dementia. In the initial assessment, a healthcare professional will talk to the patient and observe them physically. They might also ask questions about their symptoms and what they've been going through. They can also assess the way the person thinks, reason and remembers (cognitive functioning). There are a variety of different tests that can be carried out during an assessment. They could be formal standardized tests or informal, non-standardized tests. These tools may include a list of issues, a memory check or self report screening tool such as the GHQ or MMSE. These tools can be administered by a general physician or administered by a mental health professional. Sometimes, people will require laboratory tests to identify a condition. This may include blood or urine samples. The tests are generally not painful. The only discomfort is the injection of the blood sample, which may be a little painful or itching. In more serious cases, an MRI or EEG scan could be required. When a healthcare professional performs an assessment, it's important that they have the most complete picture. This includes taking into consideration the patient's lifestyle, family history and their environment. This information will be considered when deciding on the ideal course of treatment for the patient. What should happen during an assessment at a mental health facility? The examination is a chance for health professionals to be attentive and understand the situation for you. You should use this time to express your concerns and ask any questions you have. You must be aware about the different treatments to make an informed decision. Staff should greet you with a warm and welcoming manner, with empathy and respect, upon arrival (NICE 2009b). Anyone who wants to wait on their own or in a group should have a comfortable waiting space. In the course of the mental exam, your doctor will ask you about your thoughts and feelings, and how they impact your daily life, and whether or not you've tried to manage your symptoms by yourself. Your doctor will also observe the way you behave. They may examine your speech patterns or if you maintain eye contact. They will also test you on your reasoning and memory skills by asking questions, such as recalling brief lists and naming common shapes or objects. If you fall within section 2 of the Mental Health Act, your AMHP will be there to guide and support you throughout the assessment. You can invite your friend or relative to your appointment or opt to have an advocate from a professional represent your views and interests. They can be volunteers, like those who work for charities or professionals, such as lawyers. Some people have difficulty to talk about their mental health issues with health professionals, particularly when they have had negative experiences. Some children don't realize that changes in their moods or behaviour can be a reason for concern. Others families might not know where they can turn for assistance. It is essential that all healthcare professionals are aware of the consequences of their previous experiences and work hard to establish a trusting relationship. What should I do if am not satisfied with the evaluation? If you've been referred to under the Mental Health Act and you aren't happy with it you can file an appeal to the CQC. Check out our guide on how to make an inquiry for more details. Patients who seek mental health services usually have multiple appointments with a range of professionals and may find it difficult to keep track of all the appointments. It is important to be as transparent and honest as you can with the person conducting your assessment. If you don't you could give the professional a false impression of your condition and this could impact the care you receive. A mental illness is a condition that may affect your mood, thinking and behaviour. It can affect your relationships, work and daily activities. Common conditions include anxiety disorders, depression and schizophrenia. You can get support for mental illness from your doctor as well as your family and friends or by visiting an NHS local CAMHS. The main factor in improving mental health is to get the appropriate assessment and treatment. NHS England is working hard to ensure that everyone receives appropriate treatment at the right time. This includes reducing wait times and ensuring that the correct information is readily available to anyone who requires it. We are also making adjustments to the way we collect and share data to help with this. We want all local mental health services to be able keep and share information exactly the same way as other NHS organisations. This will improve security and quality of care. We want all healthcare providers to be able to access accurate and current data in real-time, wherever they are. This is part the NHS's commitment Data Saves Lives which aims at reducing the barriers to information sharing across the health and healthcare system. What should happen if how to get a mental health assessment uk would like to get to get a second opinion? You can decide to take action if you think that health professionals involved in the assessment of your case do not consider your opinion seriously. You can ask your manager to send another professional to review your situation or contact an NHS helpline in your area to get help. If you reside in England, the NHS has a service called EIT (Emergency Intervention Team) that can send a crisis response team out to your home. You can also contact local volunteer groups, or charities like Mind or Rethink for advice. You may decide to seek an additional opinion from a different doctor or medical specialist, or even your GP. This is a good option when you are not sure about your diagnosis or treatment options, or if there is a disagreement between the doctors regarding the most appropriate option for you. A study published in American Journal of Medicine found second opinions to be of substantial value and costing a fraction of what the first opinion would have cost. The experts can provide new perspectives and insights that can alter the course of the patient's treatment. A second opinion is needed when your healthcare professional has not identified a cause for your symptoms. This can be due to a variety of causes like a mistaken diagnosis or a physician who doesn't listen to your personal story. At Dementech We can arrange a private health assessment for you with our psychiatrists. We offer standard consultations of 50 minutes, and we collaborate with the majority of major private insurance companies to ensure that your psychiatric treatment is covered. If, however, you do not have insurance, we're in a position to provide top quality and affordable treatment. What should I do if need an additional opinion from a specialist? You should be able to arrange an additional opinion if you are unhappy with your mental health evaluation results. It's not an option that is legally protected however, most doctors are willing to facilitate it. You can request the mental health service or your GP to arrange this. They should be able give you the contact details for local advocacy services. The doctor will evaluate your body and perform additional tests, such as blood tests and a X-ray. The specialist will discuss their findings with you and the options for treatment. This could include medication or hospitalization, as well as other options. When discussing your case, the doctor should take into consideration your gender, age, and social background as in addition to your sexual orientation or disability, religion as well as your religious or cultural beliefs and your sexual orientation. A second opinion can be beneficial because it lets you compare medical advice from different experts and gain a new perspective on your healthcare situation. It can make you feel more confident regarding your treatment options and diagnosis and it can also give you more information about the possible side effects of each option. There may be a good reason to want an additional opinion. You might be worried that you suffer from an unusual or rare condition and you'd like to have an opinion from a medical professional regarding the diagnosis and treatment options. Or maybe you have seen other treatments your doctor doesn't provide and you want to know if they are suitable for you. A private Psychiatrist will usually meet with you within a few days and has access to your entire health history. They can also schedule an appointment via video on Skype, Facetime or a telephone call and send an official medical report directly to your GP.