On Friday 26 January, Alex Burghart, MP for Brentwood and Ongar, officially launched an innovative service to treat people who suffer from depression.
Repetitive, Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) is a private service which is provided by Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT) and is based at the Brentwood Resource Centre.
It is the only one of its kind in the whole of Essex. rTMS is a proven and effective treatment for patients who have not responded to standard pharmacological treatments.
It has been approved by NICE for the treatment of depression and there is growing evidence for its use for other mental health disorders.
The technique is non-invasive and uses magnetic stimulation to target the part of brain that regulates mood.
A purpose-built electromagnetic coil is held against the scalp of the patient, who sits comfortably in a chair with head leaning back during the treatment. There is no need for anaesthesia or sedation. The treatment comprises of daily sessions five days a week lasting about 30-45 minutes, typically for 4-6 weeks.
Patients are able to resume their daily routine immediately after a treatment session.
It is generally pain free and well tolerated by most patients. There can be minor transient side effects such as headache and scalp discomfort.
The course of treatment is delivered by consultant psychiatrists and specialist nurses at EPUT.
How to access the rTMS service?
Patients can be referred directly by their own consultant psychiatrist. If they are not under the care of a psychiatrist, they can be seen by a consultant psychiatrist who delivers the rTMS service. The psychiatrist will be able to assess their suitability for the treatment.
Alex Burghart, MP said: “It is excellent to see this new treatment being made available to the local community so it can help fight depression. Having a newly approved intervention in Brentwood puts the area at the forefront of medical treatment. I was greatly impressed by the team and look forward to hearing how their work makes a difference to the lives of local people.”
Sally Moris, Chief Executive at EPUT said: “I am delighted to have launched a brand new service to treat people with depression. 1 in 4 of us will be affected by mental illness at some point in our lives and I hope that people in Essex will be reassured to know that such a revolutionary service like the rTMS is available to them which can bring relief from depression.”
For more information on this new service, please contact the rTMS Team on the number or email address below.
Tel: 0800 0113024