Despite good evidence that appears to be ignored by SIGN, and despite lobbying by lead mental health professionals and academics in Scotland, the published guidelines baldly assert that: "There is insufficient evidence on which to base a recommendation for counselling".

There is general disquiet about this statement at BACP and among co-partners who believe this to be untrue. For no given reason, the new guidelines exclude randomised controlled trial (RCT) evidence showing that counselling is one of the best and most effective treatment interventions for depression (see King M, Sibbald B, Ward E et al; HTA 2000; Vol 4: No. 19).This evidence was excluded very late on in the consultation process for no stated reason.

As a result the SIGN guidelines are now inconsistent with the updated UK NICE guidelines for the treatment of depression, which do include a recommendation for counselling. Surely, while Scotland and England are different places, there is no valid reason to suppose a treatment that will work in England will suddenly fail if you drive across the border?

Dr Lynne Gabriel, Chair of BACP, said: "Any reasonable person must be alarmed to discover a geographical split in the interpretation of scientific evidence. There are also many clients and patients suffering from depression who choose to receive counselling from the NHS in Scotland who will be made to suffer further. The recession is already increasing rates of job insecurity, low pay and redundancy, which are all known to be risk factors for depression, and this is likely to cause yet more distress within families and marriages. NHS counsellors are skilled and experienced in helping people cope with such problems. By eliminating counselling from the guidelines, counselling services in Scotland may well be de-commissioned, and we risk losing a trained workforce at a time when economic uncertainty means they are needed most".

Jo Hilton, speaking on behalf of PCT Scotland, commented: "Scotland is a world class centre of expertise on counselling research - yet SIGN appears to have ignored the evidence Scotland has to offer."

HUG Interim Management Group Leader, Keir Hardie, said: "Some of our members feel very strongly that they greatly benefited from counselling for depression, and they were astonished to learn that the new SIGN guidelines do not recommend this."

Speaking on behalf of the STAA, Mark Widdowson said: "The STAA feel that the proposed SIGN guidance is misguided and goes against considerable evidence into the effectiveness of counselling and psychotherapy in the treatment of depression. This proposed change would also potentially reduce patient choice and access to these highly effective treatments."

For further information please contact:

BACP - Alison Croft, Press and Public Relations Manager, on 01455 883342 (office), 07989 416665 (mobile) or alison.croft@bacp.co.uk or Phillip Hodson, Media Consultant, on 0207 794 2838 or phillip@philliphodson.co.uk

PCT Scotland - Isobel Gibson on 07985 710918 or Isobel@gibsonwatts.co.uk

Highland Users Group - for users of mental health services - Heidi Tweedie at htweedie@hccf.org.uk

Scottish Transactional Analysis Association - Mark Widdowson at mail@markwiddowson.com

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Date: 18 February 2010