• Bipolar Disorder
• Borderline Personality Disorder
• Dementia
• Schizophrenia
• Depression
  • » 33. Objective measure
  • » 34. Self-help and signposting
  • » 35. Psychological therapies within 6 weeks
  • » 36. Therapy after measure of severity
  • » 37. Specialist assessment & treatment available

Depression Care Standard 35: There is a record of the offer and uptake of depression-focused brief psychological therapies within 6 weeks.

Supporting material for standard 35:

Depression-focused brief psychological therapies, approximately 6-8 sessions over 10-12 weeks, benefit people with clinically significant symptoms of depression:

- if there is no significant improvement after 8 weeks of appropriate antidepressant treatment
- for those who do not take or refuse antidepressant treatment
- for those who prefer to avoid the side-effects of medication, and
- for those who express a personal preference for psychological therapies.

Examples of evidence required to meet standard 35:

- local algorithm for depression-focused brief psychological therapies stating that the person should be seen within 6 weeks of referral

Useful Resources:

• 1. NHS Education for Scotland (NES). Increasing the Availability of Evidence-Based Psychological Therapies in Scotland - 'Phase 1' Training Plan
• 2. NHS Education for Scotland (NES) website
• 3. Scottish Executive. Delivering for mental health. Responding better to depression, anxiety and stress, HEAT target. Edinburgh:SEHD; 2006
• 4. University College London. Centre for Outcomes, Research and Effectiveness. The CBT competences framework for depression and anxiety disorders
• 5. NICE. Depression: management of depression in primary and secondary care. London:NICE; 2004 NICE clinical guideline 23, pages 47, 52, 55 and 114-156
• 6. NHS Connecting for Health. Do once and share: depression care pathway: mapping a solution. 2006, pages 2, 9 and 11