Mental Health Assessment - What Happens If You Are Unhappy With Your Mental Health Assessment?
It is important to get help if you have an issue with your mental health. Mental illness is as serious as physical illness.
Everyone should be treated with respect and dignity regardless of gender, age or ethnicity, religious belief, political, social or cultural background. APP acknowledges the need to combat discrimination.
What is a Mental Health Assessment?
A mental health assessment is a test that is used to determine how someone is functioning psychologically, socially and developmentalally. It can also be used to diagnose conditions such as depression or neurological diseases such as dementia.
A healthcare professional will meet with the patient and assess their physical condition during the initial assessment. They might also ask questions about their symptoms or what they have been going through. They also test the person's capacity to think, reason and remember (cognitive function).
There are how do you get a mental health assessment of different tests that can be performed during an assessment. These can be formal and standardized, or informal and non-standardized. They may include a problem checklist or a memory test, or a self-report screening tool such as the GHQ or MMSE. These tools can be administered by a general practitioner or administered by a mental health professional.
Sometimes, laboratory tests are needed to determine an illness. This may include urine or blood samples. These tests are usually not painful. The only discomfort could be the injection of the blood sample that could feel like a slight pinch or the sensation of stinging. In more serious instances it is possible that an MRI scan or EEG could be required.
When a healthcare professional is performing an examination, it is important that they have the most complete picture. This includes taking into consideration the patient's lifestyle, family history, and the environment. This information is considered when deciding on the most appropriate treatment option for the patient.
What should be done during an assessment of mental health services?
The assessment should be an opportunity for health professionals to listen and understand what is happening to you. You should use this time to voice your concerns and ask any questions you have. You should also be given enough information about different treatments, to allow you to make an informed decision.
Staff should greet you in a warm and friendly manner, with empathy and respect, upon 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 daily routine and whether or not you've tried to manage your symptoms on your own. Your doctor will also observe how you act. They may examine your speech patterns or if you keep eye contact. They will also test your memory and reasoning skills by asking questions like recalling short lists and naming common shapes or objects.
If you fall under section 2 of Mental Health Act, the AMHP will guide and support you through the assessment. You can bring along a relative or friend to your assessment or choose to have an advocate from a professional represent your interests and views. They could be volunteers, such as charity workers or professionals such as lawyers.
Some people have difficulty to talk about their mental health with healthcare professionals, especially when they have had negative experiences. Many children are unaware that changes in their moods or behavior can be a an indication of concern. Some families might not know where to go for help. It is important that healthcare professionals are aware of the impact of previous poor experiences and work hard to build a trusting relationship.
What should I do if am unhappy with the assessment?
If you've been referred to under the Mental Health Act and you aren't happy with it, you can make a complaint to the CQC. Check out our guide on how to make a complaint for more information.
It can be difficult for people who use mental health services to keep track of all their appointments. It is essential to be as open and honest as you can to the person who is evaluating your condition. If you are not then the professional could be able to get a false impression of what you're doing and this can affect the care you receive.
A mental illness is a condition that can affect your mood, thinking and behavior. It can affect your relationships, work, and everyday activities. Depression, anxiety disorders, and schizophrenia are all common disorders. You can get help for a mental illness from your physician or family members, as well as by visiting a local NHS CAMHS.
Making sure you receive the right diagnosis and treatment is essential to improving your mental health. NHS England is working hard to ensure that everyone receives right treatment at the appropriate time. This includes reducing delays and ensuring that the correct information is accessible to everyone who needs it. To facilitate this, we are changing the way that we store and share information.
We want all local mental health services to be able to record and share data exactly the same way as other NHS organizations. This will improve the quality and safety of the care. Our goal is to ensure that all providers have access to accurate and up-to-date information, in real-time regardless of where they are. This is part the NHS's mission Data Saves Lives which aims to eliminate the obstacles to sharing information across the health and care system.
What should happen if I would like to get a second opinion?
You may take action if you feel that health experts involved in the assessment of your case don't take your opinions seriously. You can ask your manager to send another expert to review your situation, or call an NHS helpline in your area for support. If you live in England and have a problem, the NHS has a service known as EIT (Emergency Intervention Team) that will send an emergency response team to your home. You can also seek advice from local groups of volunteers or charities, such as Mind or Rethink.
You might want to seek an additional opinion from a different medical professional or doctor or even from your GP. This is advisable 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 the American Journal of Medicine found that second opinions provide significant value and are only a portion of the cost of a first opinion. Experts can provide fresh perspectives and insights that can alter the course of a patient's treatment.
Another reason for seeking another opinion is that the original doctor or healthcare professional may have overlooked a possible cause or impact of your symptoms. This could be due to various reasons, including misdiagnosis and simply not paying attention carefully to your story.
Dementech can arrange a private mental assessment with one of our psychiatrists. We offer standard consultations lasting 50 minutes, and we work with most major private insurance providers to ensure that your treatment for psychiatric issues is covered. However, if you do not have insurance, we are in a position to provide top quality and affordable treatment.
What should I do if require a second opinion from a specialist?
If you are dissatisfied with the results of your mental health assessment and would like a second opinion, it should be possible to request this. You don't have a legal right to this however, doctors will often refuse to arrange it for you. You can ask your GP or the mental health services to make this happen. They will be able to provide you the contact details for local advocacy services.
The specialist will examine you and may do further tests, such as blood tests or an scan. The specialist will discuss their findings with you as well as the treatment options available to you. This could include medication, a hospital stay or other options. The doctor will take into consideration your gender, age social background, your social background, religious beliefs, sexual orientation and disability as well as religious or cultural beliefs when discussing your concerns with you.
A second opinion can be beneficial because it lets you review medical advice and gain an entirely new perspective on your health situation from a different physician. It can give you more confidence in your diagnosis and treatment options and also provide you with more details about possible adverse effects.
There may be a good reason to want to get a second opinion. You might be worried that you may have an unusual or rare condition and want an opinion from a specialist regarding the diagnosis and treatment options. Perhaps you've been reading about other treatments your doctor doesn't provide and you're interested in knowing whether they're suitable for you.
A private Psychiatrist will usually be able to visit you within just a few days and will usually have access to all your medical records. They can also schedule a video consultation via Skype, Facetime or a telephone call and send the medical report directly to your GP.