Simpler psychological treatment is as effective as CBT for depression and is cheaper, study shows

David Richards was one of the critics who spoke out against the weasel words employed by the government some years ago which implied a massive amount of increased new funding was to be put into therapy provision - when it was actually coming out of the existing NHS budget. As a result he was sacked from his position as advisor to Dept of Health some five years ago. (Guardian 2011 'Health Advisor Sacked for Speaking Out').

There are fifteen or more psychology research projects and many psychology courses being conducted at Exeter ( web site Exeter University) . The Department of Health must be delighted that this ' cheap and simple' treatment which does not need highly qualified practitioners is the outcome of several years of research since then. (the Cobra Programme).

Hopefully those who need psychological therapies will be able to access the treatment they choose on a basis of discussion of choices available. And that a cheap and simple fix will not be reserved mainly for those more socially disempowered or less informed, that there will be opportunities for self referral rather than being channelled by gatekeepers. There will be a preference by some ,for other types of therapy such as psychoanalytical therapies (which are also being researched at Exeter). Historically there has been unequal access to these therapies for socially disadvantaged people - Cheap and simple - is not necessarily second best and many will prefer the option being promoted but where will those do prefer to think first rather than act first, people after all have different personalities, priorities and strategies for getting well, where will they get the help they need from the NHS in future? Cheap and simple will be very seductive.