TMS Treatment on the NHS
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation was approved by NICE in 2015.However, NHS treatment is only available in selected areas according to strict criteria.
We have nationwide clinics and ensure that your doctor and healthcare team are fully informed about your treatment.
NHS Availability of TMS Treatment
As Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is still relatively new to the UK, the NHS don’t offer it as standard.
Despite awareness of TMS increasing, the number of local NHS Trusts providing the treatment is still very small, which means that it is not available on the NHS in most areas.
Where the NHS do offer TMS treatment, the Trusts also have strict criteria that patients are required to meet before receiving treatment. This usually includes:
- Multiple unsuccessful courses of antidepressants and even ECT
- Patients must be living within the catchment area for the Trust
- Referral from your GP or psychiatrist
Even where patients meet these criteria, there is usually a long waiting list.
The NHS only offer TMS treatment for depression and/or anxiety.
Self-Refer for Private Treatment with Smart TMS
By contrast, you can self-refer for treatment with Smart TMS at any stage in your treatment journey. We have clinics in most large cities and there is no waiting list. As well as treating depression and anxiety, we also offer transcranial magnetic stimulation for drug addiction, alcoholism, smoking, BPD, PTSD, OCD and more.
If you don’t have an NHS TMS facility in your area (which most people don’t), on rare occasions, local CCGs (Clinical Commissioning Groups) will agree to fund treatment with us. This is a lengthy process with no guarantee of success, requiring the support of your GP to confirm your “exceptional clinical circumstances”.
If you don’t want to wait months for treatment, or to endure the uncertainty of the funding process, please contact our friendly team. We may also be able to offer payment options to help spread the cost of treatment.
If your GP or psychiatrist isn’t aware of how TMS can change the lives of patients with mental health conditions, our clinical team are happy to discuss the treatment and we can send further written documentation to them, too. We also have a special referral form for professional referrals.