Continuation-maintenance electroconvulsive therapy: quality standards in 3 Australian aged psychiatry services.
OBJECTIVE
To check if experienced psychiatrists in Victoria, Australia, observed the standards outlined by the American Psychiatric Association and the Royal College of Psychiatrists regarding the administration and monitoring of continuation-maintenance electroconvulsive therapy (ECT).


METHODS
A retrospective chart review of 60 consecutive patients given continuation-maintenance ECT in 3 Victorian public aged psychiatry services.


RESULTS
Practice guidelines were often not observed concerning documentation of treatment plans, mental state reviews and patients' and carers' viewpoints.


CONCLUSIONS
Continuation-maintenance ECT proved highly effective in this clinical sample. Our audit identifies areas for improvement in clinical practice. It will be helpful to have a simple checklist of treatment plans, rating scale scores, and discussions with patients and carers that clinicians can complete at regular intervals.
O'Connor
Daniel W
DW
Department of Psychological Medicine, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia. Daniel.Oconnor@med.monash.edu.au
Gardner
Betina
B
Presnell
Ian
I
Singh
Dhiren
D
Tsanglis
Maria
M
White
Erica
E
D001315:Australia; D004565:Electroconvulsive Therapy / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales / Q000592:standards*; D011570:Psychiatry / Q000592:standards*; D012189:Retrospective Studies