This letter is addressed to trusts which provide Electro Convulsive Therapy (ECT) as part of mental health service provision. It recommends that Trusts use the ECT Accreditation Service (ECTAS), which aims to support ECT staff to achieve and maintain national standards of administration of ECT that are consistent with NICE guidance.

The full text of this document is reproduced here

12/01/2004
To: CEs of Mental Health Trusts

CEs of NHS Trusts providing mental health services

Dear Chief Executive,

We are writing to those trusts which provide Electro Convulsive Therapy (ECT) as part of mental health service provision.

Although there are a range of opinions about ECT, recent NICE guidance has reinforced its effectiveness as a treatment for some patients with mental illness. The guidance is available on www.nice.org.uk/pdf/59ectenglishifp.pdf. This builds on an earlier Department of Health review on the efficacy of ECT which found that ECT was effective.

Given the strong views for and against ECT, it is particularly important that it is administered in a safe and consistent manner across the NHS and independent sector. To help services achieve this, we strongly recommend that Trusts use the ECT Accreditation Service (ECTAS), which was recently launched by the Royal College of Psychiatrists. ECTAS aims to support ECT staff to achieve and maintain national standards of administration of ECT that are consistent with NICE guidance. Further information about ECTAS can be obtained from Helen Caird at the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Research Unit (e-mail address: SMTP:hcaird@cru.rcpsych.ac.uk Tel: 020 7227 0830). Please contact her if you have not already done so.

We are writing separately to those in the independent sector who administer ECT.

Yours sincerely,

Louis Appleby, National Director for Mental Health

Mike Shooter, President, Royal College of Psychiatrists

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