Mental Health Assessment - What Happens If You Are Unhappy With Your Mental Health Assessment?
If you suffer from an issue with your mental health it is essential to seek out help. Mental illness is as serious as physical disease.
Everyone should be treated with respect and dignity regardless of gender, age or race. APP recognises the need to fight discrimination.
What is a Mental Health Assessment?
A mental health assessment is a process that is used to determine how someone is functioning psychologically, socially, and in terms of development. It can also be used to identify conditions such as depression or neurological diseases like dementia.
During an initial assessment an healthcare professional will interview a patient and observe them physically. They may inquire about the patient's symptoms as well as what's occurring. They also will assess the way in which the person thinks, reason and remembers (cognitive functioning).
There are a number of different tests that can be performed during an assessment. These can be formal and standardized or informal and non-standardized. They could include a problem checklist, a memory test or self-report screening tools like the GHQ or MMSE. These tools may be administered by general practitioners or by mental health professionals.
Sometimes, people require laboratory tests to identify a condition. These tests may include blood or urine samples. These tests are usually 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 severe cases the need for an MRI scan or EEG may be needed.
When a healthcare professional is performing an assessment, it's essential that they present the most complete picture. This involves taking into consideration the history of the patient's relatives, lifestyle, and the environment they reside in. This information is considered when deciding on the most appropriate course of treatment for the patient.
What should be done during assessing mental health of mental health services
The assessment is a chance for healthcare professionals to understand your situation. It is important that you make use of this opportunity to talk about your concerns and ask questions. You must be aware about the various treatment options to make an educated decision.
You should be greeted with a warm, welcoming and compassionate manner by the staff upon arrival (NICE 2009b). A comfortable waiting area should be provided for those who prefer to wait on their own or with others.
In the course of your mental health assessment Your doctor might 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 watching the way you behave. They might be able to examine your speech patterns or if you keep eye contact. They will also test your memory and reasoning abilities by asking you simple questions, such as recalling brief lists and naming common objects or shapes.

If you fall under section 2 of the Mental Health Act, your AMHP will assist and guide you throughout the process of assessing you. You can bring a companion or a relative along to the appointment or opt to have an advocate who can represent your interests and opinions. They can be professionals, such as lawyers or even charity workers.
Some people find it difficult to discuss their emotional well-being with health professionals, especially if they've had negative experiences in the past. Children may not realize that changes in their mood and behavior are cause for anxiety, whereas other families might not know who to turn to for help. It is important that all healthcare professionals are aware of the consequences of their previous experiences and that they work hard to establish trust.
What should happen if I am not satisfied with the assessment?
If you are dissatisfied with the treatment you received under the Mental Health Act, you can lodge a complaint with the CQC. For more information, follow our guide on how to file a complaint.
People who utilize mental health services often have multiple appointments with a variety of professionals. It can be difficult to keep track of them all. It is important to be as transparent and honest as you can with the person who is conducting your assessment. If you do not you could give the professional an inaccurate impression of your condition and this could affect your care.
A mental illness is a condition that can alter your mood, thoughts and behavior. It can affect your work, relationships and day-to-day activities. Depression as well as anxiety disorders and schizophrenia are all common disorders. You can seek help for mental illness from your GP as well as your family and friends or by visiting an NHS local CAMHS.
The proper assessment and treatment is key to improving your mental health. NHS England is working hard to ensure that everyone receives proper treatment at the right time. This includes reducing delays and ensuring the right information is accessible to everyone who requires it. We are also making adjustments to the method we record and share data to help with this.
We would like all local mental health services to be able to record and share data exactly the same way as other NHS organizations. This will increase security and quality of the care. We want all healthcare providers to have access accurate and up-to-date information in real-time, no matter where they are. This is part the NHS's commitment to Data Saves Lives which aims at reducing the barriers to sharing information across the health and care system.
What should happen if I would like to get to get a second opinion?
If you believe that the health professionals who participated in your assessment do not take your opinion seriously, there are things you can do. You can request your manager to send another professional out to look over your situation or contact an NHS helpline in your area to get help. 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 seek help from local voluntary groups 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 a great idea when you are not sure about your diagnosis or treatment options or if there's a disagreement between the doctors over the best method of treatment.
A study published in the American Journal of Medicine found that second opinions provide significant value, with only a tiny portion of the cost of a first opinion. Experts can provide fresh perspectives and provide information that could alter the course of a patient's treatment.
Another reason for seeking a second opinion is that the original doctor or healthcare professional might have missed a possible reason or cause for your symptoms. This could be due to a variety of reasons, such as a misdiagnosis or a doctor who doesn't listen to your story.
Dementech can arrange an individual mental assessment with one of our psychiatrists. We provide standard consultations of 50 minutes, and we partner with a variety of major private insurance providers to ensure that your psychiatric treatment is covered. If you don't have health insurance, we are able to offer excellent treatment at an affordable price.
What do I do if need an opinion from an expert?
You should be able to arrange a second opinion if you are dissatisfied with your mental health evaluation results. It's not an official right however, most doctors are willing to help. You can ask your GP or the mental health services to make it happen. They should be able give you information about local advocacy services.
The specialist will examine and may perform additional tests, such as blood tests and an X-ray. They will then talk with you about their findings and talk about the options for treatment. This could include hospitalization, or other options. When talking to you your doctor, the doctor must take into account your age, gender and social background as along with your sexual preference or disability, religion and religious beliefs, cultural or traditional, and your sexual orientation.
A second opinion can be beneficial as it allows you review the advice of various experts and to gain an unbiased view of your health situation. It will give you more confidence in your diagnosis and treatment options, and also provide you with more details about possible adverse effects.
You might have a very strong reason for wanting a second opinion. You might be concerned that you have an unusual or rare condition and you'd like to have an additional opinion from a specialist on the diagnosis and treatment options. Perhaps you've read about other treatments that your provider doesn't offer and you're interested in knowing if they are suitable for you.
A private Psychiatrist will usually be able to see you within just a few days and will normally have access to all your medical records. They can also schedule video consultations via Skype, Facetime or a phone call and then send a medical report directly to your GP.