Psychiatric Bulletin (2009) 33: 412-415. doi: 10.1192/pb.bp.108.023739
© 2009 The Royal College of Psychiatrists
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How specialist ECT consultants inform patients about memory loss

Dalia Hanna, Consultant in Old Age Psychiatry

Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, Prospect Park Hospital, Honey End Lane, Reading RG30 4EJ, email: daliahnn{at}yahoo.co.uk

Kerry Kershaw, PhD Student

Royal College of Psychiatrists and Goldsmiths College, Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Research & Training Unit

Robert Chaplin, Research Fellow

Royal College of Psychiatrists’ Research & Training Unit, and Consultant Psychiatrist, Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire NHS Partnership Mental Health Trust

Declaration of interest

All the authors work with ECTAS.

AIMS AND METHOD

A questionnaire was distributed to consultants with a special interest in electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) at clinics participating in an ECT accreditation process. This aimed to ascertain a consensus of clinical practice regarding informing patients about the treatment and assessment of memory during ECT.

RESULTS

The response rate was 64%. There is consensus on informing patients about the possibility of permanent memory loss. Memory is assessed before and during an ECT course by clinical interview and Mini-Mental State Examination, but rarely at long-term follow-up.

CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS

Patients need to be informed about the possibility of permanent memory loss before consenting to ECT. Clinical teams need to make greater efforts to assess memory, particularly after this treatment.