Reading something about ECT made me realise we’ve never intentionally used those letters in that combination. We’ve got a million opinions and ideas about medication whether voluntarily and informedly taken or forcibly administered, I’ve sounded off about the use of ‘mechanical restraint rooms’ in Continental Europe and stun guns (on mentally ill children!!) in America. But not a word about ECT.
There are three reasons for this. The main one is that ECT totally freaks me out. The second is also a personal one. There was, terrifyingly, an ECT room on the ward where I was at The Priory. But on the ward at St Ann’s (which inspired the setting up of star Words) the only things plugged into electrical sockets were toasters, TVs and hair dyers, Not people.
And thirdly, it just hasn’t come up. Why is this? Why aren’t magazines, journals, conferences, agendas regularly including stuff about the most intrusive, bizarre and controversial treatment? I have once been offered to be shown an ECT suite when visiting a hospital. Otherwise ECT has never been raised or seen.
Completely hypothetically, what sort of things could Star Wards do in relation to ECT?? In partnership with patients who have experience:
1. Think about the standards for ECTAS, the Royal College of Psychiatrists’ accreditation scheme for ECT services, to see if we think they are as robust and require services to be as ‘patient friendly’ as possible, if that’s not an oxy-moronic concept in relation to ECT. Liaise with RCPsych colleagues if we feel the standards and accreditation process could be improved. (We’re closely involved with the College through their sister scheme for acute wards, AIMS.)
2. Look at the following and think whether there are additional implications for patients experiencing ECT. Star Wards’ 75 ideas; information about members’ services, activities etc; AIMS’ standards
3. Spend time hanging around an ECT suite talking to patients, staff and carers:
4. Solicit ideas through articles, blogging, networking, conferences etc.
The sorts of things we’re likely to want to promote are examples of excellence in the physical environment (including waiting area), information provided, scope for patient control over the actual procedure and informed consent.
That’s what we could do. Whether I can get my past my own stuff, even far enough to liaise with a colleague about them taking this on, is another matter.
I know a few patients probably do benefit greatly from ECT. But what percentage of patients getting it want it, and will benefit from it? The manager of local services for elderly people said that one of the benefits of a single site model of hospital provision (rather than many small units spread across county) was the ease with which ECT could be applied. I was a bit worried about that.
Also, I went on a Patient Environment Action Team survey of a mental health hospital. During this visit we were shown the ECT suite. It was all very clean, very calm. There was a nice waiting area, and a ‘the room’ was nice, and the aftercare room was nice too. But comfy chairs is the least a patient should expect if they’re being zapped.