§ Mr. David Atkinsonasked the Secretary of State for Social Services whether he is satisfied with the current use of electro-convulsive therapy.
§ Mr. Moyle:I recognise there is anxiety in some quarters about the use of electroconvulsive therapy, and my Department is taking steps to obtain better information than is presently available. Arrangements have been made for the collection of statistics of electro-convulsive therapy treatments carried out in mental hospitals and units, and of the number of courses of treatment which these represent. My Department has also recently accepted a Royal College of Psychiatrists' application for a grant for a research investigation into the present use of electro-convulsive therapy in England. On present 465W evidence I have no reason to believe that this treatment is being carried out other than in patients' best interests.