Out of sight, out of mind. Rights, consent, and electroconvulsive therapy

Abstract

This article is a commentary on an audit of Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT) patient information leaflets in Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, which found that they do not comply with the ethical principle of informed consent. Stigma, rights, and trauma are discussed through the authors personal experience of multiple ECT treatments and research, and potential actions to address these failings are suggested.