Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust is facing a probe over whether it will review and phase out a ‘barbaric’ medical procedure used to treat severe depression.
Liberal Democrat councillor Michael Lilley decried the ‘continued use’ of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) on the Island in a written question to the adult social care, public health and housing needs committee last Thursday (September 11).
ECT involves running electrical currents through the brain to bring about a brief seizure.
Cllr Lilley said ECT is ‘still actively administered’ at Sevenacres, a mental health unit at the St Mary’s Hospital site, with 58 patients in 2024 and 11 so far in 2025.
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The representative for Ryde Appley and Elmfield cited recent research described as the ‘largest-ever’ international survey of ECT recipients, led by Dr John Read, an academic at the University of East London (UEL).
UEL has said the study reveals that ‘most patients and their families report little or no benefit from the treatment’, and in many instances say it ‘made things worse’.
Dr Read, based at UEL’s School of Childhood and Social Care, said: “No studies show that ECT has any benefits at all beyond the end of treatment.
“Our findings, from the largest survey ever conducted, indicate that claims that ECT is effective are, at best, unproven and, at worst, misleading.
“With no robust evidence in four decades, and a high proportion of patients reporting serious long-term harm, it’s time for a fundamental re-evaluation of ECT’s role in mental health care.”
Cllr Lilley said: “I am shocked that ECT is still being used as extensively on the Isle of Wight. 58 patients may not seem high but within the population of 140,000 and a total of about 2,500 ECT patients across the UK, 58 is considerably high.
“ECT patients are primarily women. This continued use of ECT in my view is barbaric and based on poor medical/psychiatric evidence.”
Independent chair of the adult social care, public health and housing needs committee Cllr Clare Mosdell passed Cllr Lilley’s question to the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
She told the chamber last week the question was “very valid” and “quite scary”, adding that the trust had been asked to provide a written response.
The trust has been approached for comment.
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