Some GPs have not yet heard about the treatment or else don’t have much experience of it, but this need not cause any concern for patients who are considering treatment.
TMS was officially approved by NICE for treatment of depression back in 2015 so it may seem like a relatively new treatment to GPs who have to cover a vast scope of medical knowledge for both physical and mental health.
Yet while it may be relatively unknown, it already has formal approval from the National Institute for Clinical Excellence and decades of research behind it too.
So why hasn’t my GP heard of TMS?
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation is a groundbreaking treatment for depression, anxiety, addiction, PTSD, OCD and other difficult mental health conditions. Unfortunately, there is relatively little availability on the NHS. This means that many GPs have not yet come across the treatment in their own practices. Very few have an NHS referral pathway and even private sector treatment has until recently had little availability in the UK.
That situation is changing as transcranial magnetic stimulation is starting to become more widely available for private patients. Smart TMS has opened a number of new centres across the UK in the last 2 years, bringing the treatment to Birmingham, Bristol, Havant, Manchester and Edinburgh as well as London and Dublin. This means that more patients are able to access the daily sessions required in treatment programmes without being forced to travel.
So while some GPs may have little or no knowledge of transcranial magnetic stimulation, the situation is changing fast and there is certainly no need to worry about the credibility of the treatment.
While it is still gaining awareness in the UK, TMS treatment is not as new as its 2015 approval may indicate. Actually, the treatment has been around for over 35 years and is backed by extensive clinical research from around the world which demonstrates its effectiveness and safety compared to other treatments.
We recommend professional referrals and welcome the chance to talk to any GP or referrer as required.
Find out more:
Smart TMS
Smart TMS was established in 2015, dedicated to providing TMS treatment in London at their South Kensington/Brompton Cross centre. The company opened a second clinic in Birmingham in September 2017 and has since expanded to include locations in Dublin, Manchester, Bristol, Havant (South Coast) and now in Edinburgh.
Contact Us
For any queries or for patients wishing to book an appointment at one of our UK clinics, please contact us:
- Tel: 0345 222 5678
- Email: info@smarttms.co.uk
Irish patients may contact Our Dublin Clinic direct on:
- Email: info@smarttms.ie
- Tel: 353 (01) 254 2514
- Website: www.smarttms.ie
Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation treatment is now available for private patients at Smart TMS, a specialist provider of the innovative treatment with an expanding network of locations around the UK and Ireland.