Use therapy to treat schizophrenia: experts
By Ruth Pollard
January 21 2003
Mental-health experts are urging an overhaul of the standard treatment for
schizophrenia to include psychological therapy and support for families.
The proven treatments of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) and family
therapy are not widely available in Australia, leaving most people with
schizophrenia with nothing more than a prescription for antipsychotic
drugs, they say.
The British-based National Institute for Clinical Excellence team recently
evaluated the best scientific evidence from around the world on treatment
and care of people with schizophrenia.
They found medication alone was insufficient to treat schizophrenia and
that CBT should be included in all treatment regimes.
Patrick McGorry, from the University of Melbourne's Department of
Psychiatry, said new Australian guidelines, modelled on the British
recommendations, would be released next month. They have been developed by
the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists
"There is extensive evidence collected over the last five years that CBT is
an effective treatment ... and, along with family intervention, is very
effective in improving the outcome not just for the patient but for the
family," Professor McGorry said.
"To date, there has been very little political pressure for governments to
resource and implement these treatments."
Australia spends 6.5 per cent of its health budget on mental health, while
other developed countries spend 12 to 15 per cent.
The low level of funding meant Australia's mental health services were
focused on "acute phase treatment", where people with schizophrenia were
patched up and "flicked to GPs", he said.
The director of the NSW Centre for Mental Health, Professor Beverley
Raphael, agreed the availability of CBT had to increase.
"We do provide CBT in big centres. It is certainly part of the repertoire
in NSW, but it is more difficult [to provide] in smaller country
hospitals," she said.
Paul Morgan, from the mental-health lobby group SANE Australia, urged the
Government to put CBT on Medicare.
http://smh.com.au/articles/2003/01/20/1042911331594.html