A survey of specialized traumatic stress services in the United Kingdom

Abstract

Specialist care following psychological trauma in the UK has, since 2005, been governed by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) Guideline 26, for the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder. NICE guidance states that the preferred first-line treatment is trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy that incorporates techniques of eye movement, desensitization and reprocessing. In light of this guidance, the rationale for this survey was to assess the nature and scope of services available in UK specialist trauma services and range of available therapeutic approaches delivered. Thirteen organizations responded to the survey. Ten were NHS services and three were non-statutory organizations. Professional positions were primarily populated by psychologists. The total number of referrals to UK specialist trauma services surveyed in the 12 months prior to the survey was 2041 with a mean of 157. Trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy was the most common therapeutic treatment, but person-centred therapy was found to have increased in availability within specialist trauma services. This arguably reflects the widening availability of person-centred therapy in the improving access to psychological therapies initiative and perhaps suggests some divergence from more uniform cognitive and behavioural approaches within NHS therapy services. Implications for practice are discussed.