{"id":2125,"date":"2019-05-23T23:14:17","date_gmt":"2019-05-23T23:14:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lancaster.ac.uk\/reacttoolkit\/?page_id=2125"},"modified":"2025-10-20T08:52:12","modified_gmt":"2025-10-20T08:52:12","slug":"understanding-mental-health-services","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.lancaster.ac.uk\/reacttoolkit\/toolkit\/understanding-mental-health-services\/understanding-mental-health-services\/","title":{"rendered":"Understanding Mental Health Services"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Getting The Help You Need<\/h4>\n

As a relative, your first encounter with mental health problems can be a very confusing and distressing time. You may have to cope with behaviour you don\u2019t understand and feelings you have never had before. There is a huge network of systems and professionals that may be unfamiliar to you, but need navigating. Many relatives find this adds to their frustration and anxieties.<\/p>\n

This section will provide information about mental health services. It will guide you to further resources and information to get the help you need.<\/p>\n

The exact structure and quality of services varies in different geographical areas. We have tried to give an overview of the most common structures in NHS Trusts. If your experience of services is very different, then this might be something you want to discuss with your GP or Care Coordinator. You could ask them to draw you a diagram of the key people involved and how they relate to each other. This may help you understand the system better.<\/p>\n

Watch Professor Jo Smith explaining how to get help<\/h4>\n