Cautious welcome for updated NICE depression guidelines

The BPS has cautiously welcomed updated NICE depression guidelines as part of a coalition of UK mental health organisations. The update comes following a guideline development process that lasted seven years and resulted in a three-year consultation.

The delay comes after the coalition of stakeholders persistently called on NICE to address what it saw as major methodological flaws that underpinned previous drafts of the guideline. In a statement the BPS said it was pleased to see a strong focus on personalised care and a significant emphasis on the importance of service user choice and shared decision-making – all of which it said were notably absent from previous drafts. It added that such changes should result in significant improvements in care for people with depression.

'While NICE has not addressed all the key methodological issues that were raised and there are still improvements to be made, we appreciate the significant efforts made by the Guideline Committee. In order to deliver the recommendations in the new guidelines, it is vital that both the government and NHS address the severe shortages in the psychological workforce and commit to investing in the training and recruitment needed to provide adequate care for people with depression. Without this investment, people will struggle to get the support and help they need.'

Read more about the coalition's concerns over methodological issues in the NICE guidance, which it raised in January this year.