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The use of Electro Convulsive Therapy (ECT) to treat depression has divided opinion for many years. Staff at Bodmin Community Hospital’s ECT unit are aiming to dispel the stigma surrounding the treatment after witnessing first-hand the positive impact it has had on patients.

On the wall of the ECT reception is a noticeboard filled with thank you cards, from patients and families, expressing their gratitude for the positive and sometimes life-changing impact this often-misunderstood treatment has had.

ECT has come a long way since it was first developed in 1938 when the use of enough electric current through the brain to cause a seizure was used as a treatment for severe schizophrenia. With the development of technology and research over the decades, ECT is far more refined now, though there remains a highly sceptical stigma attached to this treatment.

However, ECT is an effective treatment for some types of mental illness. When other treatment options, such as psychotherapy or medication, have not been successful, ECT is considered. As a treatment, ECT is usually given twice a week taking place under general anaesthetic. During this short period of time your brain is stimulated with short electric pulses. As well as an anaesthetic, a muscle relaxant is also given which reduces how much your body moves during the fit.

Rita McNary is the Unit Manager at Bodmin Community Hospital’s ECT Unit. With over 40 years' experience of working for the NHS, she is keen to dispel the myths surrounding ECT. She says: “It has had very controversial publicity because people do not often understand what we do. We have an efficacy of 75% to 80% success rate which is very high in mental health.

“People that come to us are fully assessed, both physically and mentally to make sure they are physically fit to have the treatment. They must undergo a general anaesthetic, be it a small one, so they do not feel anything. They are asleep when they have the treatment. We pass a small amount of electricity across the brain. It is not like massive volts which people tend to think it is a terrible thing, which the media has portrayed over the years. The treatment is very quick, and the side effects are minimal. There is a lot of controversy over memory loss, which is one of the main side effects, but people do tend to regain their memory quite quickly after treatment has finished.

“One of the rewards of working here has been the amazing recovery that we see of patients. Some people are not eating and drinking, they are lying in their bed, they are very suicidal. We see them go from that to fully conversing, eating, and drinking, smiling, chatting, and often saying ‘you’ve given me my life back.’

“We only treat people twice a week (Tuesdays and Fridays) which is the national recommendation. They can consent for 12 treatments at a time if they are able to. But some people may require more whereas others require less. It depends on the person, it is very individual.

“Everybody who is treated should be under the Mental Health Team because obviously they are very poorly people. They are referred by a psychiatrist to our team. We are known as a referred in service, so every referral comes to us, and our experienced consultant will assess them.”

The unit is also accredited by the ECT Accreditation Service which assures and improves the quality of the administration of ECT. This year the team were recognised for their outstanding delivery of high-quality care in the face of adversity (after moving into alternative clinical accommodation during the COVID-19 pandemic) when they received the ‘Most Improved Team’ award at the joint ECT Accreditation Service and Nalnect Forum in London.

Rita says: “We eventually moved back to our original building and almost started again in developing our team, improving staffing levels and looking at a longer-term business plan to take our service forward. The team worked very hard in ensuring continuation of care and supporting each other. We are striving to reach a gold standard service for our patients who we think fully deserve this.”