Mental Health Assessment - What Happens If You Are Unhappy With Your Mental Health Assessment?
If you have an issue with your mental health, it is important to seek assistance. Mental illness is just as serious as physical ailments.
Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity irrespective of age, gender, ethnicity, religion or political, social or cultural background. APP recognises the need to combat discrimination.
What is a Mental Health Assessment?
read this is an examination that is used to determine how an individual is functioning psychologically, socially and developmentalally. It can also help diagnose disorders like depression or neurological diseases such as dementia.
A healthcare professional will interview the patient and observe their physical state during the initial assessment. They may also ask questions regarding their symptoms and what they've been going through. They will also assess the person's ability to think and reason as well as recall (cognitive function).
When assessing there are a variety of tests that can be conducted. They can be formal, standardized tests or informal, non-standardized tests. These tools could include a checklist of problems, a memory check or a self report screening tool like the GHQ or MMSE. These tools can be administered by a general practitioner, or they can be performed by a mental health professional.
Sometimes, lab tests are needed to determine an illness. These tests 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 the sensation of stinging. In more serious cases the need for an MRI scan or EEG could be required.
When a healthcare professional conducts an assessment, it is important that they have the most complete picture. This means taking into account the history of the patient's relatives and lifestyle as well as the surroundings in which they live. This information is considered when deciding on the best treatment for the patient.
What happens during an assessment at a mental health service?
The assessment should be a time for health professionals to listen and understand what is happening to you. It is crucial to take this opportunity to share your concerns and ask questions. You should also be given sufficient information regarding the various treatments, so that you are able to make an informed choice.
Staff should greet you with a warm and welcoming manner with respect and empathy when you arrive (NICE 2009b). A comfortable waiting area should be provided for those who prefer to wait on their own or with a group of people.
During the mental exam, your doctor may ask you questions regarding your thoughts and emotions and how they affect your daily routine, and if you have tried to manage symptoms on your own. Your doctor will also watch how you act. They may observe how you speak or if you keep eye contact. They will also test your reasoning and memory skills by asking questions such as recalling short lists and naming common shapes or objects.
If you are under section 2 of the Mental Health Act, your AMHP will support and guide you throughout the assessment. You can bring a companion or family member along to your appointment, or you can choose to have an advocate, who can represent your views and interests. They could be volunteers like charity workers or professionals, like lawyers.
Some people find it hard to discuss their emotional well-being with healthcare professionals, especially when they've had bad experiences in the past. Some children do not realise that changes in their moods and behaviour are a cause for concern, while other families might not know who to turn to for help. It is crucial that all healthcare professionals are aware of the impact of previous poor experiences and that they are able to build a trusting relationship.
What should I do if I'm not satisfied with the assessment?
If you've been referred to under the Mental Health Act and you are not satisfied with the results, you can make a complaint to the CQC. See our guide on making complaints for more details.
People who use mental health services often have multiple appointments with a variety of professionals. It can be difficult to keep track of them all. It is crucial to try and be as open and honest as you can to the person conducting your assessment. If you do not you could give the doctor an inaccurate impression of your condition, and this could affect your care.
Mental illness can affect your mood and mental thinking. It can cause problems with work, relationships and day-to-day activities. Common conditions include anxiety disorders, depression and schizophrenia. You can seek help for a mental illness from your physician or family members, as well as by visiting an NHS local CAMHS.
mental health assessments for adults in improving mental health is to get the right diagnosis and treatment. NHS England works hard to make sure everyone receives the appropriate treatment at the right time. This involves reducing delays and making sure that the right information is available to all who require it. We are also making adjustments to the method we record and share information to facilitate this.
We would like to see all local mental health services be able collect and share data the same as other NHS organizations. This will improve the quality and safety of the care. We want all healthcare providers to be able to 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 at reducing the barriers to sharing information across the health and healthcare system.
What do I do if require a second opinion on something?
You may decide to take action if you think that health professionals involved in the assessment of your situation do not take your concerns seriously. You can ask the supervisor of your mental health services for a different professional to examine the situation with you, or you could contact one of the NHS helplines to get assistance in your region. If you live in England the NHS provides a service known as EIT, which will send an emergency response team to your home. You can also seek assistance from local groups of volunteers or charities, like Mind or Rethink.
You could decide to get an opinion from a different doctor or medical specialist, or even from your GP. This is a good option when you are not sure about your diagnosis or treatment options or if there's disagreement between your doctors regarding the most appropriate option for you.
A study published in the American Journal of Medicine found that second opinions provide significant value and are only a tiny portion of the cost of the first opinion. The reason for this is that experts are able to provide new perspectives and information that can change the direction of a patient's treatment.
A second opinion could be needed when your healthcare professional has not identified a cause for your symptoms. This can be due to a variety reasons like a misdiagnosis or a doctor who does not listen to your concerns.
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 services are covered. If you do not have health insurance, we will provide excellent care at a cost-effective price.
What should I do if need a second opinion from a specialist?
You should be able to arrange an appointment for a second opinion if are dissatisfied with the mental health evaluation results. It's not an official right however, most doctors are willing to facilitate it. You can ask your GP or the mental health services to make this happen. They will be able to provide you the details of local advocacy services.
The specialist will examine and possibly perform further tests such as blood tests or an X-ray. The specialist will discuss their findings with you as well as the treatment options available to you. This could include medication, hospitalization or other options. When speaking to you the doctor, he 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 as it allows you examine the advice of different experts and to gain an unbiased view of your medical situation. It can give you more confidence in your diagnosis and treatment options and provide more information on possible adverse effects.
There could be a compelling reason to seek an additional opinion. For instance, you could suspect that you have 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 been reading about other treatments your doctor doesn't provide and you want to know whether they're suitable for you.
A private Psychiatrist is able to see you within a couple of days and has access to your complete health record. They can also arrange a video consultation via Skype, Facetime or a phone call, and then send a medical report directly to your GP.