HCEC researchers Dr Katherine Cullen, Dr Shaun Harris and Professor Deb Fitzsimmons at the Swansea Centre for Health Economics (SCHE) collaborated with Professor Jon Bisson at Cardiff University / National Centre for Mental Health and the Centre for Trials Research on the NIHR HTA funded RAPID pragmatic randomised controlled trial (RCT) of a trauma-focused Guided Self-Help programme versus Individual Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
The trial, to which we contributed the health economic evaluation, demonstrated that the guided self-help intervention was considerably cheaper than individual face-to-face therapy and its outcomes, measured by the Clinician Administered PTSD Scale, were non-inferior at 16-weeks.
This research addresses a pressing need within mental health services in Wales, and the rest of the UK, where limited numbers of therapists are available, and given the length of current face-to-face treatment required, has led to NHS waiting lists of up to 18-months for people with PTSD. The promotion of this work across Wales will lead to increased options of therapy for people with PTSD.
Read the whole article published in the BMJ.
Read the BBC News coverage of the trial.
