Mental Health Today (MHT) has been trying to get some statistics about electroconvulsive (ECT) use from NHS Digital. Although MHT asks for donations on their website, it is not a charity but rather a publishing company, Pavilion Publishing and Media Ltd. MHT has taken their case to the Information Commissioner’s Office: “an investigation involving Mental Health Today and the Information Commission enters its eighth month”.

NHS Digital (the new name of the Health and Social Care Information Centre) apparently wanted £21,000 to provide MHT with statistics. They are quoted as saying:

“ECT is within [our] scope. However, we do not have statistics available for use of ECT and this is not currently a priority agreed with NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care for development. In theory, if ECT is used by providers it should be being submitted to [NHS Digital] by providers. However we cannot confirm…