Mental Health Assessment - What Happens If You Are Unhappy With Your Mental Health Assessment?
If you suffer from mental health issues, it is important to seek help. Mental illness is as serious as physical illness.
Everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect regardless of age, gender or ethnicity. APP recognises the need to fight discrimination.
What is a mental health assessment?
A mental health assessment is an examination that aims to assess how one is functioning psychologically socially, and in terms of development. It can also be used to identify conditions such as depression or neurological diseases like dementia.
A healthcare professional will talk to the patient and observe their physical condition during the initial assessment. They may inquire about the patient's symptoms and what's happening. They will also check the way the person thinks, makes decisions and remembers (cognitive functioning).
There are a number of different tests that can be carried out during an assessment. They could be formal and standardized or informal and non-standardized. They could include a checklist of problems and a memory test or self-report screening tool like the GHQ or MMSE. These tools can be administered by a general physician or administered by an expert in mental health.
Sometimes, people will require laboratory tests to identify a condition. These tests can include urine or blood samples. These tests are usually not painful. The only discomfort is the injection of the blood sample, which may feel like a slight pinch or the sensation of stinging. In more severe instances it is possible that an MRI scan or EEG could be required.
It is crucial for healthcare professionals to have the most accurate picture when conducting an assessment. This includes taking into account the patient's lifestyle, family history and the environment. This information will be considered when deciding on the best treatment for the patient.
What should be done during an assessment of mental health services?
The assessment should be a time for healthcare professionals to listen and understand what is happening to you. You should use this time to discuss your concerns and ask any questions you may have. You should be informed enough about the various treatment options to make an informed decision.
You should be welcomed with a warm, welcoming, empathic and respectful manner by staff on arrival (NICE 2009b). A comfortable waiting area should be made available for those who wish to wait in a private space or with others.
During the mental assessment the doctor will ask you about your thoughts and emotions, how they impact your day-to-day life and whether or not you've tried to manage your symptoms by yourself. Your doctor will also observe the way you behave. For instance, they might observe how you speak and when you make eye contact. They may also test your memory and ability to reason by asking you questions that are simple such as recalling short lists or naming common objects and shapes.
If you fall within section 2 of the Mental Health Act, your AMHP will support and guide you throughout the process of assessing you. You may bring a friend or relative with you to your assessment, or you can choose to use an advocate who will represent your views and interests. They could be professionals, such as lawyers or even charity workers.
Some people find it difficult to discuss their mental health with health professionals, especially in the event of negative experiences in the past. Children may not realize that changes in their mood or behaviour can be a an indication of concern. Others families might not know where they can turn for assistance. It is important that all healthcare professionals are aware of the impact of their previous experiences and that they work hard to build a trusting relationship.
What should I do if not satisfied with the assessment?
If you are not satisfied with the assessment you received under the Mental Health Act, you can lodge a complaint with the CQC. For more details, follow our guide on how to submit a complaint.
It can be challenging for those who utilize mental healthcare services to keep the track of all appointments. It is essential to be as open and honest as you can to the person who is assessing your condition. If you aren't then you could give the doctor wrong impressions of your health condition and this could impact the care you receive.
Mental illness can affect your mood and thinking. It can cause difficulties with work, relationships, and even everyday activities. Depression as well as anxiety disorders and schizophrenia are all common ailments. You can get support for a mental illness from your GP as well as your family and friends or by visiting a local NHS CAMHS.
Making sure assess mental health receive the right assessment and treatment is crucial to improving your mental health. NHS England works hard to ensure that everyone receives the proper treatment at the right time. This includes reducing delays and ensuring that the right information is available to all who require it. We are also making adjustments to the way we record and share information to facilitate this.
We would like to see all local mental health services be able record and share data the same as other NHS organizations. This will increase safety and the quality of the care. We want all healthcare providers to have access accurate and current information in real-time, no matter where they are. This is part of the NHS's commitment to Data Saves Lives, which aims to reduce the barriers to efficient sharing of data across the health and social care system.
What should I do if need to seek an additional opinion?
You are able to take action if you feel that health experts involved in the assessment of your situation do not take your concerns seriously. You can ask your manager to send a different professional to review your case or contact an NHS helpline in your area for support. If you live in England the NHS offers a service called EIT which sends out a crisis response team to your home. You can also seek assistance from local volunteer groups or charities, like Mind or Rethink.
You might want to seek an additional opinion, either from a medical professional or a different doctor. Your GP is also able to provide a second opinion. You should do this when you're not sure about your diagnosis or treatment options, or in the event that your doctors disagree on the best option for you.
A study published in American Journal of Medicine found second opinions to be of great value and costing just a fraction of what a first opinion would have been. The experts can provide new perspectives and information that could alter the course of a patient's treatment.
Another reason for seeking a second opinion is that the initial doctor or healthcare professional may have missed a possible reason or cause for your symptoms. This can be due to a variety of reasons including a mistaken diagnosis or a physician who doesn't listen to your concerns.
Dementech can arrange for a private mental assessment with one of our psychiatrists. We offer standard consultations of 50 minutes, and we partner with the majority of major private insurance providers to ensure that your mental health treatment is covered. However, if you do not have insurance, we are still in a position to provide top quality and affordable care.
What should I do if need a second opinion from a specialist?
You can arrange an appointment for a second opinion if are dissatisfied with your mental health assessment results. You don't have a legal right to it however, doctors are very unlikely to refuse to make it happen for you. You can contact the mental health service or your GP to arrange this. They should be able give you details of local advocacy services.
The doctor will evaluate and possibly perform further tests like blood tests and X-rays. They will then talk with you about their findings and talk about your options for treatment. This could include medications or hospitalization as well as other options. When speaking to you, the doctor should take into consideration your age, gender and social background as along with your sexual preference, disability, religion as well as your religious or cultural beliefs, and your sexual orientation.
A second opinion can be useful because it allows you to examine the advice of different experts and gain a new perspective on your health situation. It can give you more confidence in your diagnosis and treatment options, and can also provide you with more information about potential side effects.
You may have a compelling reason to seek an additional opinion. You might be concerned that you may have an unusual or rare disease and would like to get an additional opinion from a specialist on your diagnosis and treatment options. You may have read about treatments that your provider doesn't offer and want to know if these are safe for you.
A private Psychiatrist is able to meet with you within a couple of days and has access to your complete health record. They can also arrange for an online video consultation via Skype or Facetime and a medical report to be delivered directly to your GP.