28 April 2006
Lord Layard's work to push for changes in prescribing habits to combat depression is timely and extremely important (Depression is the UK's biggest social problem, Government told, 28 April).
His focus on the economic advantages of talking therapies over drugs is powerful and it must be taken seriously by Government. But depression is a complex problem and it has to be tackled on more than two fronts.
The National Institute for Clinical Excellence has been advocating the prescription of exercise therapy over drugs as a firstline treatment for mild and moderate depression for a number of years, yet such prescriptions are very rarely given out. This is a huge missed opportunity given the extra health and social benefits of exercise therapy, its popularity among those who try it, its cost-effectiveness and availability.
The Government needs to invest in practical ways of changing prescribing culture in favour of a number of low-cost, effective treatments if it stands a chance of tackling the growing burden of depression. This includes educating patients to help them make recovery decisions beyond visiting their GP and requesting an antidepressant.
Celia Richardson
Director of Communications
The Mental Health Foundation
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