The 10 Most Scariest Things About Mental Health Assessment

Mental Health Assessment – What Happens If You Are Unhappy With Your Mental Health Assessment? It is important to get assistance if there is an issue with your mental health. Mental illness can be as serious as physical illness. Everyone should be treated with dignity and respect, regardless of age, gender or race. APP acknowledges the need to combat discrimination. What is a Mental Health Assessment? A mental health assessment is a process used to see how well one is functioning psychologically socially, and in terms of development. It can also be used to diagnose conditions such as depression or neurological diseases like dementia. In the initial assessment the healthcare professional will sit down with the patient and observe them physically. They may inquire about the patient's health issues and what has been occurring. They can also assess the way in which the person thinks, reason and remembers (cognitive functioning). When assessing there are a variety of tests that are conducted. They could be formal standardized tests or informal, non-standardized tests. 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 practitioner or administered by mental health professionals. Sometimes, lab tests are required to diagnose the presence of a disease. This could include urine or blood samples. These tests are usually not painful. The only discomfort could be the injection of the blood sample that could be a little painful or the sensation of stinging. In more serious cases, an MRI scan or EEG may be needed. When a healthcare professional is performing an examination, it is important that they have the most complete picture. This includes taking into consideration the history of the patient's relatives as well as their lifestyle and surroundings in which they live. This information is considered when deciding the best treatment for the patient. What can happen during an assessment at a mental health service? The assessment will let healthcare professionals listen and understand your situation. It is advisable to use this opportunity to voice your concerns and ask any questions you might have. You should also receive sufficient information regarding the various options, allowing you to make an informed choice. It is important to be greeted with a warm, welcoming, empathic and respectful manner by staff on arrival (NICE 2009b). Individuals who want to wait alone or in a group need to have a comfortable waiting space. In the course of your mental health assessment, your doctor may ask you questions about your thoughts and feelings, how they impact your daily routine, and if you've attempted to manage your symptoms on your own. Your doctor will also look at your behavior. For instance, they could examine your speech and if you make eye contact. They can also test your memory and ability to think by asking you simple questions, like recalling short lists or naming common objects and shapes. If you fall under section 2 of Mental Health Act, the AMHP will help and guide you throughout the assessment. You can bring a friend or family member along to the appointment or opt to have an advocate who will represent your interests and opinions. They can be volunteers, like those who work for charities or professionals such as lawyers. Some people find it hard to discuss their mental health with health professionals, especially when they've had bad experiences in the past. Some children do not realise that changes in their moods and behavior are cause for anxiety, whereas other families might not know who to for help. It is important that all healthcare professionals are aware of the impact 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 are not satisfied with the results you can file a complaint to the CQC. For more information, please read our guide on how to file a complaint. It can be difficult for those who utilize mental healthcare services to keep track of all their appointments. It is essential to be as honest and transparent as possible with the person who is assessing you. If you don't honest, the professional could have a different view of your performance and this can affect your care. Mental illness can influence your mood and thoughts. It can lead to problems with work, relationships and day-to-day activities. Depression as well as anxiety disorders and schizophrenia are all common disorders. You can get help with mental illness by speaking to your GP as well as your family and friends or going to the nearest NHS CAMHS service. Making sure you receive the right assessment and treatment is crucial to improving your mental health. NHS England is working hard to ensure that everyone receives the proper treatment at the right time. This includes reducing the time taken to get treatment and ensuring that the correct information is accessible to everyone who needs it. We are also making changes to the way we record and share data to help with this. We want to see all local mental healthcare services be able keep and share information like other NHS organisations. This will help to improve safety and quality of treatment. Our goal is that all providers have access to accurate and up-to-date data, in real time regardless of where they are. This is part the NHS's commitment to Data Saves Lives which aims to eliminate the obstacles to information sharing across the health and healthcare system. What should I do if I need a second opinion on something? You may take action if you feel that health professionals involved in the assessment of your situation do not take your opinions seriously. You can request your manager to send a different expert to review your case, or call an NHS helpline in your area to get help. If you reside in England the NHS provides a service known as EIT, which will send out a crisis response team to your home. You can also seek assistance from local groups of volunteers or charities, such as Mind or Rethink. It is possible to seek a second opinion, either by a medical professional or another physician. Your GP is also able to offer an alternative opinion. This is a good option if you are unsure about your diagnosis or treatment options, or if there is disagreement between your doctors on the best option for you. A study published in American Journal of Medicine found second opinions to be of substantial value and costing only less than what the first opinion would have been. Experts can offer new perspectives and information that can alter the course of a patient's treatment. Another reason for seeking an additional opinion is that your initial healthcare provider or doctor may have missed a potential cause or effect of your symptoms. This could be due to a variety of causes, such as a mistaken diagnosis or a physician who does not listen to your story. Dementech can arrange for an individual mental assessment with one of our psychiatrists. We offer 50-minute consultations and work with the majority of the major private insurance companies to ensure that psychiatric treatments are covered. If you do not have health insurance, we will provide top-quality care at a cost-effective price. What should mental health act assessment do if want a specialist second opinion? You should be able to arrange an additional opinion if you are dissatisfied with your mental health assessment results. There is no legal right to it however, doctors will often refuse to make it happen for you. You can ask the mental health services or your GP to arrange this. They should be able give you details of local advocacy services. The doctor will look at and possibly perform further tests such as blood tests or an X-ray. They will then inform you about the results and discuss your options for treatment. This could include medications or hospitalization as well as other options. The doctor should consider your age, gender, social background, religious beliefs, sexual orientation as well as your disability, religious or cultural beliefs when speaking with you. A second opinion can be useful because it allows you to review the advice of various experts and gain a new perspective on your health situation. It can help you gain confidence in your diagnosis and treatment options and can also provide you with more information about potential adverse effects. You may have a very compelling reason to seek an additional opinion. For instance, you may believe that you suffer from a rare or unusual illness and would like a second opinion from a specialist to weigh in on the diagnosis and treatment options. Perhaps you've read about other treatments that your physician doesn't recommend and you want to know if they 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 schedule video consultations via Skype, Facetime or a phone call and then send a medical report directly to your GP.