A 'Master class' - delivered by experts for experts.

Speakers:

Dr Andrew Easton, Consultant Psychiatrist, Leeds Partnership NHS Foundation Trust

Professor Anne Mortimer, Foundation Chair in Psychiatry, University of Hull

There have been a number of changes in both the legal framework surrounding the use of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) and also the technique itself over the years. The efficacy of the treatment has not really been in doubt from a scientific basis but there has been considerable debate about the side effects and the best way to deliver the treatment as a result. The aim of this seminar is to provide recent evidence about the use of ECT in the treatment of depression and how the Mental Health Act 1983 (as amended by the 2007 Act) and the Mental Capacity Act 2005 have altered practice. 

An alternative treatment, approved by the FDA in November 2008, is Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS). Numerous studies have shown it could be a treatment for severe depression and is approved for patients not responding to drug treatment, although most use remains research based. TMS is a non-invasive method to excite or inhibit cortical neurons. Brain activity can be altered with minimal discomfort, and the functionality of the circuitry and connectivity of the brain can be studied. This seminar will outline the rationale of TMS in depression alongside the practicalities of treatment. 

After attending this seminar, delegates will have: 

 A basic understanding of the current pathophysiological theory of depression 

 An understanding of the legal framework regarding ECT and best practice regarding treatment delivery 

 A snapshot of the changes in the new NICE Guidance for Depression (CG90) relating to ECT 

 An understanding of TMS in depression and knowledge of a potential treatment facility 

Click here to download more information and to book a place.