Electroconvulsive therapy: Patients must be confident that evidence of efficacy is compelling

doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7415.621-b

BMJ 2003;327:621 (13 September), doi:10.1136/bmj.327.7415.621-b

Letter

Electroconvulsive therapy

Patients must be confident that evidence of efficacy is compelling

The first 150 words of the full text of this article appear below.

EDITOR—I was a member of the review group that producedthe guidelines on electroconvulsive therapy for the NationalInstitute for Clinical Excellence (NICE).¹ I have personal experienceof the treatment and have spent a large amount of my own timeresearching (qualitatively) patients' experience of it. Withthe recent recognition and acknowledgement that patients' expertisein relation to their lived experience is valid, the climatefor partnership and inclusive working has improved to the benefitof patients and practitioners (and you may of course be eitherat different times in life).

The new guidelines were produced after a full and thorough assessmentof all available data both clinical and experiential, and representationon the group included all key stakeholders. Everyone, includingthe Royal College of Psychiatrists, thought that the new guidelineswere appropriate and workable and were a great step forward.