Mental Health Assessment - What Happens If You Are Unhappy With Your Mental Health Assessment? It is crucial to seek assistance if you are experiencing an issue with your mental health. Mental illness can be as severe as physical illness. Everyone should be treated with respect and dignity regardless of age, gender or ethnicity. APP recognises the need to fight discrimination. What is an assessment of mental health? A mental health evaluation is an assessment that determines how people are functioning socially, psychologically, and in terms of developmental. It can also be used to diagnose conditions such as depression and neurological diseases such as dementia. During an initial assessment, a healthcare professional will interview a patient and observe them physically. They might also ask questions regarding their symptoms and the difficulties they've gone through. They can also assess the way the person thinks, reasons and remembers (cognitive functioning). In an assessment various tests can be conducted. They could be formal and standardized or informal and non-standardized. They could include a troubleshooting checklist, a memory test or self-report screening tools such as the GHQ or MMSE. These tools can either be administered by general practitioners or by mental health professionals. Sometimes, laboratory tests are required to diagnose an illness. These tests could include blood or urine samples. Most of the time the tests aren't painful. The only discomfort may be caused by the injection of blood which may feel like a small pinch or sting. In more serious instances the need for an MRI or EEG scan could be required. When a healthcare professional performs an examination, it is essential that they present the most complete picture. This involves taking into consideration the patient's family history as well as their lifestyle and surroundings in which they live. This information will be considered when deciding on the ideal course of treatment for the patient. What should be done during an assessment of mental health services The examination is a chance for healthcare professionals listen and understand your situation. It is important to use this time to discuss your concerns and ask any questions you may have. You should be well-informed about the various treatments available to make an informed decision. It is important to be greeted in a warm, friendly and understanding manner by staff on arrival (NICE, 2009b). People who wish to sit in solitude or in a group must have a comfortable waiting area. During the mental exam the doctor will ask you questions regarding your thoughts and emotions and how they affect your daily life, and if you've attempted to manage your symptoms on your own. Your doctor will also be observing how you behave. For instance, they might examine your speech and if you make eye contact. They will also test your reasoning and memory skills by asking questions such as recalling short lists and naming common objects or shapes. If you fall within section 2 of the Mental Health Act, the AMHP will assist and guide you through the process of assessing. You can bring along your friend or relative to your assessment or choose to have an advocate from a professional represent your views and interests. They could be volunteers like charity workers or professionals such as lawyers. Some people find it difficult to discuss their mental health with healthcare professionals, especially if they've had negative experiences in the past. Children may not realize that changes in their moods or behavior could be reason for anxiety. Other families may not know where they can turn for assistance. It is essential that all healthcare professionals are aware of the effects of their previous experiences and work hard to establish trust. What should I do if not happy 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. Learn more about how to make an inquiry for more details. It can be difficult for people who use mental healthcare services to keep the track of all appointments. It is crucial to be as open and honest as you can to the person who is evaluating your condition. If you don't, the professional may be able to get a false impression of how you are doing and this could affect the care you receive. Mental illness can affect your mood and thinking. It can cause problems in relationships, work, and everyday activities. The most common disorders are anxiety disorders, depression and schizophrenia. You can get help with a mental illness by talking to your GP as well as your family and friends or visiting a local NHS CAMHS service. Getting the right diagnosis and treatment is essential to improving your mental health. NHS England works hard to ensure that everyone receives the right treatment at just the right time. This means reducing the time taken to get treatment and making sure 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 all local mental health services to be able record and share data in the same way as other NHS organizations. This will increase security and quality 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 of the NHS's commitment to Data Saves Lives which aims to reduce the barriers to sharing information across the health and care system. What should happen if I need to seek to get a second opinion? You can take action if you feel that health professionals involved in the assessment of your case do not take your opinions seriously. You could ask the manager of your mental health service for a different specialist to discuss the situation with you, or you could contact one of the NHS helplines for support in your region. If you reside in England the NHS provides a service known as EIT which sends an emergency response team to your home. You can also contact local volunteer groups, or charities such as Mind or Rethink for advice. You may want to get an additional opinion, either from a medical specialist or another doctor. Your GP is also able to provide a second opinion. It is recommended to do this in the event that you aren't sure of your diagnosis or treatment options, or if the doctors disagree about the best treatment option. A study published in the American Journal of Medicine found that second opinions can provide significant value, with only a small portion of the cost of a first opinion. This is because the experts can provide new perspectives and additional information that can alter the direction of a patient's treatment. Another reason for seeking a second opinion is that the original doctor or healthcare professional might have overlooked a possible reason or cause for your symptoms. This can happen for various reasons, including misdiagnosis or simply not taking the time to listen attentively to your story. Dementech can arrange a private mental assessment with one of our psychiatrists. We provide standard consultations of 50 minutes, and we collaborate with a variety of major private insurance companies to ensure that your treatment for psychiatric issues is covered. If you don't have health insurance, we are able to offer excellent treatment at a reasonable cost. What should happen if I need a second opinion from a specialist? If you are unhappy with the results of your https://www.iampsychiatry.com/booking-private-mental-health-assessment and would like a second opinion, it should be possible to request this. There is no legal right to do this however, doctors are very unlikely to refuse to arrange it for you. You can request your GP or the mental health services to help make this happen. They should be able to provide you information on local advocacy services. The doctor will examine you and may do further tests, including blood tests and an scan. They will then inform you about their findings and talk about the options for treatment. This might include medication, hospitalization, or other options. When talking to you, the doctor should take into consideration your age, gender and social background, as along with your sexual preference or disability, religion, cultural or religious beliefs, and your sexual orientation. A second opinion is beneficial as it allows you compare medical advice from different experts and to get 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 adverse effects. There could be a justification to seek a second opinion. For instance, you could think you may have a rare or unusual illness and you want another specialist to assess the diagnosis and treatment options. You might have read about treatments that your doctor doesn't offer and want to know if these are safe for you. A private Psychiatrist will usually be able to consult with you within several days and will normally have access to all your health records. They can also schedule an appointment via video on Skype, Facetime or a phone call, and then send the medical report directly to your GP.