Mental health services in the UK have a lot of problems, mostly because good services cost money and funding to that part of the NHS is not good. They have cut the number of psychiatric beds in hospitals right down and it is very hard to get a bed unless you are sectioned (detained involuntarily). At my hospital they admit people when there is no bed on the ward and you go to a bed temporarily vacated by a patient sent home on leave, although I have even heard of patients sleeping on couches in sitting rooms while waiting for a bed. Otherwise you can be sent to a hospital hundreds of miles away if that's the only place they can find a bed. If you are a voluntary patient you will often not be admitted, just left at home getting more ill.

Psychotherapy is hard to get, there are long waiting lists. Psychiatrists prefer to throw meds at you. They want you drugged and compliant, then you are not a problem. Even getting to see a psychiatrist is difficult - the GP has to refer you, and unless you are suicidal or obviously severely ill it is hard to get specialist help, even if you are suffering profoundly.

Some psychiatrists and other mental health workers are good, it is just a matter of luck who you get. Unless you have money to go private you can't shop around. I saw one psychiatrist who wasn't bad but wasn't that much interested in my problem. Then I read a review written by a private patient of his, saying he was the best psychiatrist ever and had really put himself out to help her, even phoning to check up on her and encourage her. You don't get that on the NHS.