Mental health problems in adults in the UK are the most common ones. 1 in 4 adults experiences a diagnosable mental health problem in any given year. People from different jobs in life can be affected by mental health problems at some point in their lives. Adult specialist mental health services can help people aged 16 to 64 with a serious mental illness or disorder. They primarily aimed to help people who experience anxiety, depression, and psychosocial disability (for example, schizophrenia). Adult mental health specialists also help people live with situational crises that lead to self-harm or inappropriate behaviour towards others. Adult mental health services are provided in all clinical adult areas. Clinical adult mental health services include:
Inpatient Treatment Services
These services are usually provided within the clinic’s adult areas, which include:
Acute Inpatient Services
This service is required for an acute episode of mental disorder, and the patient may stay for more than a day. An acute inpatient service provides voluntary and compulsory short-term inpatient management and treatment during the acute phase of mental illness. A diverse range of therapeutic interventions and programs is offered to patients and their families during an acute episode. Patients and their families can learn more about the effects of the mental health disorder on their lives, ways to manage symptoms, improve coping strategies and go towards recovery.
Acute inpatient services are an age-based mental health service for people who cannot access safe and effective treatment in the community. People who are admitted to an acute inpatient unit have a high level of dependency on the service. These units are located in general hospitals. They need intensive and secure treatment and management until they recover enough to be shifted to the community for effective and safe treatment.
Consultation and Liaison Psychiatry
It is a specialised branch of psychiatry focused on both mental and physical health, particularly within general hospital settings. Consultation and liaison psychiatry provides mental health services for people with a primary medical condition who are admitted to a general hospital area that may be associated with mental health issues.
Psychiatric Assessment and Planning Unit
Psychiatric assessment and planning units (PAPUs) provide quick and short-term specialist psychiatric assessment and treatment for people who have an acute episode of mental health disorder. Admission to a PAPU can be compulsory or voluntary. They provide treatment for medication overdose, drug-induced psychosis, comorbid medical conditions, suicidal ideation, or when a person needs to be assessed under the Mental Health Act 2014. PAPUs operate 24/7, and the period of stay is limited to 72 hours. A person may be discharged from PAPU to an acute mental health inpatient bed, a subacute PARC service, depending on the outcome of the treatment assessment and response. They may also be shifted to a private mental health service or a community-based public service, and may involve the general practitioner of the patient.
Residential Treatment Services
These services provide intensive therapy and support in live-in settings. Residential treatment services are designed to help individuals stabilise their symptoms, develop coping skills, and build a foundation for long-term recovery.
Secure Extended Care Inpatient Services.
Secure extended care units (SECUs) are facility that provides medium to long-term secure inpatient treatment, rehabilitation, and care for people who have unremitting and severe symptoms of mental illness or disorder. These units are located in hospital settings. SECUs use a recovery-oriented approach for people who need a high level of secure and intensive clinical treatment. Services are provided on a regional basis and are allowed to take compulsory customers.
Community Care Units (CCUs)
CCUs provide medium to long-term treatment, care, and rehabilitation services in a home-like environment. It supports the recovery and rehabilitation of people who are seriously affected by mental health issues. The prime goal is to return to the community by developing or relearning self-care, communication, and social skills in a community-based residential facility.
Prevention and Recovery Centres (PARC)
These services are community-based, short-term supported residential services for people with mental health problems. But they do not need (or no longer require) to stay in a hospital. PARC services provide clinical treatment and short-term residential support to avoid acute inpatient admissions or allow a person to be sooner discharged from an inpatient unit. These services usually work in partnership with mental health services and clinical services.
Outpatient Treatment Services (community-based clinical treatment)
These services are provided without an overnight stay at a hospital or medical facility.
Acute Community Intervention Service
These services provide urgent advice, referral and treatment to people with a mental health issue who are acutely ill or in crisis. It is provided through telephone triage, mental health care in emergency departments, and community mental health services.
Continuing Care Teams
Continuing care teams are the largest component of adult community-based services. They provide non-urgent assessments, treatment, management, support and continuing care services in the community. Continuing care teams frequently communicate with other community mental health workers and general practitioners.
Other Adult Specialist Mental Health Services
Families where a Parent has a Mental Illness (FaPMI)
(FaPMI) provide services through timely, coordinated, preventive and supportive action to reduce the impact of parental mental illness on all family members. They work closely with mental health services and network partners to provide follow-up and specialised consultation. They also provide workforce development, local collaborative care and support for peer programs for young people and children.
Homeless Outreach Psychiatric Services
Homeless outreach psychiatric provides specialist clinical and treatment services to people who do not engage willingly with mental health services. They use an assertive outreach approach to provide assessment and follow-up consultation to homelessness services and other mental health workers.
Mental Health and Police (MHaP) Response
Mental Health and Police Response is a joint mental health and police service for people who require urgent mental health help, treatment, and care in the community. Adult clinical mental health services collaborated with the UK Police to provide timely, appropriate, and urgent mental health assessments, treatment, and support. It also includes referrals to further community support where required or necessary.
Mobile Support and Treatment
Mobile support and treatment services operate extended hours seven days a week. They provide intensive, long-term support for people with prolonged and severe mental health disorders and associated high-level disability. It is one of the essential services for adults with mental health issues in the UK.
Youth Program – Early Psychosis Services
Early psychosis services are for young people aged 14-65 (with some services having age restrictions, such as 14-35) who are experiencing a first episode of psychosis. These services aim to improve outcomes by reducing the duration of untreated psychosis. It includes multidisciplinary teams, such as nurses, social workers, occupational therapists, and psychologists, providing a range of treatments and support to individuals and their families. They focus on early assessment, rapid and intensive support, and personalised care plans.
