What to expect from NHS mental health services in Durham
In the UK, National Health Services are free of charge.
Talking Changes is the local psychological therapy service, to which you can self-refer. It is useful if you are looking for more than the time-limited counselling we can provide and offers treatment for common mental health problems such as stress, anxiety or depression, as well as panic, phobias, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. You will be offered a telephone assessment session and then directed towards a stepped programme comprising individual sessions, by telephone or in person, or group workshops on the themes of Anxiety or Depression. It may be popssible to receive your sessions or workshops from Talking Changes within the Counselling Service. To refer yourself to the service call 0191 333 3300
All other mental health services need to be accessed via your GP.
GP's
General Practitioners (GPs) are not mental health specialists, but will assess your symptoms, may suggest you start medication and/or talking therapy and give advice, and will refer you on for specialist assessment if necessary. You should see a GP in the first instance if you have mental health symptoms which significantly interfere with your functioning.
You must register with a local GP on arrival – most students use the Claypath & University Health Centre as it is conveniently located:
http://www.durhamstudenthealth.co.uk/
Or you can choose any local GP:
http://www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/GP/LocationSearch/4
You will not be able to access emergency medical help or prescriptions if you are not registered, and will then have to use a walk-in centre or A&E department
http://www.nhs.uk/Services/hospitals/Services/Service/DefaultView.aspx?id=288182
You have the right to ask to register as a temporary resident during vacations if you are away from Durham, without having to fully transfer between GPs. You can be a temporary resident for up to 3 months at another practice (ie your home town) as outlined here:
Specialist Mental Health Services
Your GP may refer you to the specialist mental health assessment team called Access & Assessment, based at North End House in Durham City.The GP is also the starting-point for referrals for ADHD and autism assessments. You have the right to refer yourself to the Access Service on 0191 594 5800, but we advise students to discuss this first with a GP.
Students are referred to North End House for specialist consultation on diagnosis and medication and to consider treatment options.
If you are assessed by the Access Service, you should be seen within 4 weeks. After your assessment you may be
- Asked to keep a record of your symptoms such as a mood diary.
- Referred into the Affective (mood) Disorders Service. Students under this team are offered a care pathway including seeing a psychiatrist, and a Coping Skills group course based on cognitive-behavioural and dialectical behavioural therapies principles. If necessary you may also be able to see a psychologist.
- Referred into a specialist service such as Early Intervention in Psychosis, Eating Disorders, or Autism Spectrum service.
- You may have a one-off appointment with a psychiatrist who can make recommendations to your GP;
- You may be referred out to a psychological therapy service such as Talking Changes
You can ask to be copied-into any letters from specialist mental health services to your GP; these can be useful medical evidence for the University Disability Support Service. However, they will not usually write letters as specific medical evidence for University purposes.
Students seeking assessment of possible Autism Spectrum Conditions need to see the GP in the first instance. The local NHS process is long and the waiting time for completing an autism assessment can be around 18 months.
We encourage students under these services to give consent for their staff to communicate with the University Mental Health Advisors as necessary, to ensure you receive consistent support and treatment.