Themed reports

MHC find drop in number of patients receiving ECT treatment over 10-year period

A new report by MHC has revealed that the number of patients in Irish in-patient mental health units who received electro-convulsive therapy (ECT) in 2018 has decreased compared to 10 years previously. 

Although the report shows that the overall number of treatments of ECT has increased from 2,725 treatments in 2008 to 2,936 in 2018 and that treatments have increased markedly in recent years, (with an additional 763 treatments taking place in 2018 compared with 2015) – this data is contextualised by an overall decrease in the number of residents undergoing ECT treatment over the period in question, from 396 residents in 2008 down to 282 in 2018. This is echoed by an overall decrease in the number of programmes of ECT over the same period, from 407 programmes in 2008 to 365 programmes in 2018. One programme of ECT refers to a maximum of 12 individual treatments. 

Director of Standards and Quality Assurance at the Mental Health Commission, Rosemary Smyth, has advised that there are limitations, on the basis of data protection, which restrict the amount of information that can legally be requested and which could, in theory, make a comparative analysis more useful. She also advised that context must be applied when analysing some of the data in the report. 

For example, the increase in the number of treatments of ECT, particularly from 2015 to 2018, does not necessarily mean that ECT is being administered more often by our mental health services. It may indicate, for example, that more residents are undergoing the full complement of treatments per programme than in previous years. 

We also believe this report will enable more open and well-informed conversations about ECT, helping to reduce stigma. We need to acknowledge the higher service delivery standards that exist today, and develop a more balanced, well-informed view of modern ECT. It is important that we do our best to avoid unintentionally further stigmatising people who have responded well to this treatment. 

‘Significant improvement’ and ‘complete recovery’ have also consistently been the two most common outcomes of a programme of ECT treatment since 2008, and the Chief Executive of the Mental Health Commission, John Farrelly, said that this trend would indicate that ECT treatment generally has a positive effect on those being treated. In 2018, 81% of people receiving the treatment indicated improvement as a reason for concluding a programme of ECT.  

2018 ECT statistics summary: 

  • 365 programmes of ECT administered  

  • 2,936 individual treatments of ECT administered 

  • 283 residents received ECT 

  • 15 approved centres provided ECT (from a total of 65)  

    19% of ECT programmes involved one or more treatments without consent 

  • 18% of individual ECT treatments were administered without consent 

  • 63% of residents administered ECT were reported as suffering from depressive disorders  

  • 67% of programmes cited resistance to medication as the indication for ECT  

  • 81% of programmes reported improvement as the outcome of ECT programmes 

To read the full statement click here.

The read the report click here.

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