As a part of this appraisal the Institute has commissioned an Assessment Report, which is a critical review of the clinical and cost effectiveness of the technology prepared by an independent group.

The Assessment Report on Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for depressive illness, schizophrenia, catatonia and mania has been prepared by School of Health and Related Research, University of Sheffield. The Assessment Report has previously been subject to peer review and circulated to the formal consultees for their comments. This Report and the comments received formed a part of the evidence available to the Appraisal Committee. Please note that the Assessment Report published here is the one that was sent for consultation to formal consultees before the first Appraisal Committee meeting. It has not been revised to take account of their comments. The Appraisal Committee had access to all comments on the Assessment Report and was careful to consider them as part of the overall consideration of the report.

The Assessment Report has previously been subject to peer review and circulated to the formal consultees for their comments. This Report and the comments received formed a part of the evidence available to the Appraisal Committee. Please note that the Assessment Report published here is the one that was sent for consultation to formal consultees before the first Appraisal Committee meeting. It has not been revised to take account of their comments. The Appraisal Committee had access to all comments on the Assessment Report and was careful to consider them as part of the overall consideration of the report.

This Assessment Report was only one of the sources of evidence available to the Committee members when they were developing the Appraisal Consultation Document. Other sources included submissions from the formal consultees (patients/carers, health professionals, NHS organisations and manufacturers) and evidence from experts/patients who were nominated by healthcare professional groups and patient/carer organisations.

The assessment report for the appraisal of electroconvulsive therapy was presented to the appraisal committee and discussed at its meetings on 26th June and 24th July. The document contained certain data that had been released to the Institute in confidence. In line with the confidentiality agreement, these data have been removed from the version of the report published here. In five instances, minor changes to the wording of the remaining text were required to ensure that the document remained coherent.

The Assessment Report is not a consultation document. It is provided here for information only.