Sunday, April 19, 2009
http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/gps-are-failing-depressed-patients-1671060.html
SUMMARY
People suffering from depression are unaware of the treatment they get. This is the result of the study entitled Daring to Choose conducted by the charity Depression Alliance. According to the group, out of 513 people they asked, only a third of them have been informed about anti-depressants as a choice, while 70 percent know little information about the side effects of the drug. The study also shows that GP’s (General Practitioners) fail to adhere to guidelines created by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice) on the proper use of anti-depressants, treatments and counseling groups. Thus, the Alliance is campaigning to make depression as a public health issue a government’ priority. They are also calling on NHS officials to make the medical and non-medical services available to people. Furthermore, the Alliance chief executive, Emer O’Neill, said that often people with depression go home after consulting their GP’s with no other choices but the prescribed anti-depressants. On the government’s side, there are efforts to address the issue but some experts are critical about it. Manual laborer, Alasdiar Mackenzie, shared that when he had a serious breakdown he was told by his supportive GP that he could not rely to NHS. Fortunately, he had money to seek private medical help.
REACTIONhttp://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-wellbeing/health-news/gps-are-failing-depressed-patients-1671060.html
SUMMARY
People suffering from depression are unaware of the treatment they get. This is the result of the study entitled Daring to Choose conducted by the charity Depression Alliance. According to the group, out of 513 people they asked, only a third of them have been informed about anti-depressants as a choice, while 70 percent know little information about the side effects of the drug. The study also shows that GP’s (General Practitioners) fail to adhere to guidelines created by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice) on the proper use of anti-depressants, treatments and counseling groups. Thus, the Alliance is campaigning to make depression as a public health issue a government’ priority. They are also calling on NHS officials to make the medical and non-medical services available to people. Furthermore, the Alliance chief executive, Emer O’Neill, said that often people with depression go home after consulting their GP’s with no other choices but the prescribed anti-depressants. On the government’s side, there are efforts to address the issue but some experts are critical about it. Manual laborer, Alasdiar Mackenzie, shared that when he had a serious breakdown he was told by his supportive GP that he could not rely to NHS. Fortunately, he had money to seek private medical help.
I thought in a country like the United Kingdom where health care is advanced, depression is being taken as a serious mental illness. But I was wrong. It is outrageous that GP’s and the NHS do not provide choices and proper medical treatment to people suffering from depression. It is sad that people like Mackenzie had to pay a private therapist because NHS is not reliable and GP’s often fail them. What if people with depression have no means to undergo private therapy sessions? Luckily, there is a group like the Depression Alliance initiating a campaign to make depression a public health priority. This is a good sign showing that there is a sector in society that cares for people suffering from this kind of mental illness.
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