Page 16 - Depression in adults: treatment and management

Depression in adults: treatment and management (NG222)

• monitor suicidal ideation, particularly in the early weeks of treatment (see also the

recommendations on antidepressant medication for people at risk of suicide and
recommendations on risk assessment)

• consider routine outcome monitoring (using appropriate validated sessional outcome
measures, for example PHQ-9) and follow up. [2009, amended 2022] [2009, amended 2022]

Psychological and psychosocial interventions Psychological and psychosocial interventions

1.4.4 Inform people if there are waiting lists for a course of treatment and how long
the wait is likely to be (for example, the NHS constitution advises that treatment
should be started within 18 weeks). Keep in touch with people at regular
intervals, ensure they are aware of how to access help if their condition

worsens, ensure they are made aware of who they can contact about their
progress on the waiting list. Consider providing self-help materials and
addressing social support issues in the interim. [2022] [2022]

1.4.5 Use psychological and psychosocial treatment manuals to guide the form,
duration and ending of interventions. [2009, amended 2022] [2009, amended 2022]

1.4.6 Consider using competence frameworks developed from treatment manual(s)

for psychological and psychosocial interventions to support the effective
training, delivery and supervision of interventions. [2009] [2009]

1.4.7 All healthcare professionals delivering interventions for people with depression
should:

• receive regular clinical supervision

• have their competence monitored and evaluated; this could include their supervisor
reviewing video and audio recordings of their work (with patient consent). [2009, [2009,
amended 2022] amended 2022]

1.4.8 When delivering psychological treatments for people with neurodevelopmental
or learning disabilities, consider adapting the intervention as advised in the

NICE guideline on mental health problems in people with learning disabilities.
[2022] [2022]

1.4.9 When people are nearing the end of a course of psychological treatment, discuss
ways in which they can maintain the benefits of treatment and ensure their

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