Professor Mayur Lakhani, Chair of the Royal College of General
Practitioners (RCGP), says:
“We reject the suggestion that GPs prescribe
antidepressants too readily. GPs consider the need for
antidepressants only after a careful assessment of the patients’
clinical condition.
“We agree that problems with mental health
cannot and should not be solved with pills alone. The real story is
the lack of access to services such as talking therapies and the
long waiting lists for these. GPs find themselves in a difficult
position because of limited services.
“GPs are determined to reduce the prescribing
of antidepressants. In the last year a formal structured assessment
of depression has been introduced routinely throughout Britain.
This aims to identify patients with severe levels of depression who
may need medication, and those who may benefit from alternative
psychological therapies. It’s too soon to tell of the impact of
this assessment, but we are hopeful these measures will reduce the
prescribing of antidepressants.
“The NHS is in a very difficult position as it
has to deal with competing priorities and resource constraints -
hard choices have to be made and there are no easy answers. We
would therefore recommend that Ecotherapy – like any other
treatment – should be carefully researched and evaluated by NICE
before it is routinely introduced.”
Ends
For more information please contact Lorna Fletcher in the
RCGP Press Office 020 7344 3136 / press@rcgp.org.uk
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