Mental Health Assessment - What Happens If You Are Unhappy With Your Mental Health Assessment?
If you suffer from mental health issues it is essential to seek assistance. Mental illness can be as serious as physical illness.
Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity, regardless of gender, age, ethnicity, religion or political, social or cultural background. APP recognizes the need to fight 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 in terms of development. It can also help diagnose diseases like depression and neurological diseases like dementia.
A healthcare professional will talk to the patient and assess their physical state during an initial assessment. They might also ask questions regarding their symptoms and what they've been going through. They will also check how the person thinks, reason and remembers (cognitive functioning).
When assessing various tests can be administered. These can be formal and standardized, or informal and non-standardized. They could include a checklist of problems and 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 they can be done by a mental health professional.
Sometimes, laboratory tests are required to diagnose the presence of a disease. These might include urine or blood samples. mental illness assessment are generally not painful. The only discomfort may be caused by the injection of blood, that may be felt as a small pinch or the sensation of stinging. In more serious instances it is possible that an MRI or EEG scan could be required.
It is essential for healthcare professionals to have the most accurate picture when they carry out an assessment. This means taking into account the history of the patient's relatives and lifestyle as well as the environment they reside in. This information is considered when deciding on the best treatment for the patient.
What should happen during an assessment at mental health services?
The assessment is a chance for healthcare professionals listen and understand your situation. It is essential that you make use of this opportunity to talk about your concerns and ask questions. You should also receive enough information about different treatments, so that you are able to make an informed decision.
The staff should greet you in a warm and welcoming manner, with empathy and respect, upon arrival (NICE 2009b). A comfortable waiting area should be made available to those who wish to wait in a private space or with others.
In the course of the mental exam during the mental evaluation, your doctor will inquire with you about your thoughts and feelings, how they affect your day-to-day life and whether or not you've attempted to manage your symptoms by yourself. Your doctor will also be watching how you act. For instance, they might look at how you speak and when you make eye contact. They will also test you on your reasoning and memory skills by asking questions like recalling short lists and naming common shapes and objects.
If you are a victim of section 2 of the Mental Health Act, the AMHP will help and guide 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 interests and opinions. They could be professionals, such as lawyers or charity workers.
Some people have difficulty to discuss their mental health with health professionals, particularly in the case of previous negative experiences. Some children do not realise that changes in their moods and behavior can be a cause of concern, while other families might not know who to turn to for help. It is crucial that all healthcare professionals are aware of the effects of their previous experiences and that they work hard to build a trusting relationship.
What should I do if am unhappy with the assessment?
If you've been assessed under the Mental Health Act and you are not satisfied with the results you can file a complaint to the CQC. For more information, see our guide on how to submit a complaint.
Patients who seek mental health services usually have a lot of different appointments with a variety of professionals and may find it difficult to keep track of them all. It is important to be as honest and open as you can to the person who is assessing your condition. If you're not honest, the professional could be able to get a false impression of your performance and this can affect your treatment.
Mental illness can affect your mood and thinking. It can cause problems with relationships, work and even everyday activities. Depression anxiety disorders, depression, and schizophrenia are all common disorders. You can seek help for a mental illness by talking to your GP, family and friends or visiting the nearest NHS CAMHS service.
The right diagnosis and treatment is essential to improving your mental health. NHS England is working hard to ensure everyone gets the right treatment at the right time. This includes reducing the time taken to get treatment and ensuring that the correct information is available to anyone who requires it. We are also making adjustments to the way we collect and share information to facilitate this.
We would like to see all local mental health services able to collect and share data similar to other NHS organisations. This will improve safety and quality of treatment. Our aim is that all providers have access to current and accurate information, in real-time, no matter where they are. This is part the NHS's commitment Data Saves Lives which aims to reduce the barriers to information sharing across the health and care system.
What should happen if I would like to get a second opinion?
You can decide to take action if you think that health experts involved in the assessment of your case don't take your concerns seriously. You could ask the manager of your mental health service to have a different doctor discuss the situation with you, or call one of the NHS helplines to get assistance in your area. 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 contact local volunteer groups, or charitable organizations like Mind or Rethink for advice.
You might want to seek an opinion from a different medical professional or doctor or even from your GP. This is a great idea when you are not sure about your diagnosis or treatment options, or if there is disagreement between 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 cost. Experts can provide fresh perspectives and insights that could alter the course of the patient's treatment.
Another reason for seeking a second opinion is that the original healthcare provider or doctor may have missed a possible cause or impact of your symptoms. This can be due to a variety reasons, such as a mistaken diagnosis or a physician who isn't listening to your concerns.
At Dementech we can arrange a private mental health assessment for you with our psychiatrists. We offer standard consultations of 50 minutes, and we work with the majority of major private insurance companies to ensure that your treatment for psychiatric issues is covered. If you don't have health insurance, we will offer excellent treatment at a cost-effective price.
What should I do if require a second opinion from a specialist?
If you are unhappy with the results of your mental health assessment and would like an additional opinion, it's possible to get this. It's not an official right however, doctors are generally willing to facilitate it. You can request your GP or the mental health services to help make this happen. They should be able give you the contact information for local advocacy services.
The doctor will examine you and may perform further tests, such as blood tests and a X-ray. They will then talk with you about their findings and talk about the options for treatment. This could include medications or hospitalization as well as other options. The doctor should consider your gender, age social background, your social background, sexual orientation, religion and disability as well as cultural or religious beliefs when talking with you.
A second opinion can be beneficial as it allows you review the advice of various experts and gain a new perspective on your medical situation. It will help you feel more comfortable about your diagnosis and treatment options and it can also give you more details on the possible side effects of each option.
You may have a compelling reason to seek an additional opinion. You might be worried that you have an unusual or rare illness and would like to get an additional opinion from a specialist on your diagnosis and treatment options. You might have read about treatments your doctor does not offer and want to know if these are safe for you.
A private Psychiatrist should be able to visit you within several days and will usually have access to all of your medical records. They can also schedule a video consultation via Skype, Facetime or a phone call, and then send a medical report directly to your GP.