There has been a burgeoning in the growth of psychological treatments in the UK. But with no evidence of a decrease in the prevalence of psychological disorders. As such the case for this expansion looks weak. This has been termed the ‘treatment-prevalence paradox’.Ormel et al (2022) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2021.102111]
The paradox’ should cause a pause for stocktaking, but none is in sight. There are vested interests in the 65% increase in psychological therapists between 2019 and 2024. With ever more expansion planned. The justification looks as weak as the case for international expansion of borders.
Ormel et al (2022) suggest there is a problem in generalising from randomised controlled trials to the ‘real-world’ casting doubt on NHS Talking Therapies assertion of equivalence of outcome. The latter are generating over-optimistic predictions of outcome, welcomed by politicians, media, funding bodies and service providers but demoralising for clients. It seems a fitting subject for the TV programme ‘Con or Cure’.
Dr Mike Scott