IN SUMMARY

In Scotland the standard of premises, ECT equipment and procedures for treatment with ECT meet The Royal College of Psychiatrists standard.

ECT is very effective in a routine clinical setting.The degree and rate of improvement is better than would be expected for either drug or talking treatments.

It is true that ECT is not effective for everyone, but the number of patients who do not improve is small.

Many of the public perceptions about ECT are not corroborated by the audit. For example, the notion that ECT is used disproportionately on the elderly, women or minorities is not borne out by the evidence.

The quality of ECT in Scotland is high and it is the aim of SEAN that it continues to improve.