ECTAS standards
Our accreditation standards have been drawn from key documents including the ECT Handbook (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2019), the NICE Appraisal of ECT (National Institute of Clinical Excellence, 2003) and the Scottish National Audit of ECT (CRAG Working Group on Mental Illness, 2000).
They have been subject to extensive consultation with all professional group involved in ECT and with service users and their representatives.
What the ECTAS standards cover
The standards are intended to provide staff with a clear and comprehensive description of best practice in the administration of ECT.
The standards cover the following topics:
- The ECT Clinic and Facilities
- Staff and Training
- Assessment and Preparation
- Consent and Information Giving
- Anaesthetic Practice
- The Administration of ECT
- Recovery, Monitoring and Follow-up
- Special Precautions
- Protocols
- Clinics Practising Nurse-Administered ECT (added in Thirteenth Edition, 2016)
Commendation awards
If an ECT clinic meets all the standards in a particular domain for commendation, they will be eligible for a commendation award in addition to their accreditation. A clinic may only receive a commendation award if they are accredited, but the achievement or otherwise of commendation awards does not affect accreditation status.