Threat to psychotherapy services run from Guy's and St. Thomas's Hospitals

Description of and rationale for the Cognitive Analytic Therapy Service (C.A.T.)

St. Thomas' Psychotherapy Unit and Guys' Munro Clinic are the birthplace of Cognitive Analytic Therapy as pioneered by Dr Ryle, who was until his retirement Consultant Psychotherapist at St Thomas' Hospital

CAT is organised nationally through the Association of Cognitive Analytic Therapists (ACAT). It is also recognised and organised internationally in Finland, Spain and Greece. ACAT is a member of the United Kingdom Council for Psychotherapy and a section of the Division of Psychiatry and Psychology of the United Medical and Dental Schools of Guys and St Thomas' Hospitals, London.

CAT is widely acknowledged as being one of the most appropriate psychological interventions for the NHS as it is accessible, effective, time-limited, focused, and economic. It is an appropriate, safe, initial intervention for people with a wide range of complex mental health problems, and is readily accessible to research and evaluation.

A current focus in CAT is the research and evaluation of the clinical application of CAT to people who suffer with personality disorder. Preliminary analysis indicates ground for cautious optimism in the effectiveness of CAT in treating this group of people who suffer such severe disabilities and who are so costly to contain within mental health services.

St Thomas' Psychotherapy Unit is one of the two centres for CAT Clinical Training in the London area, training mental health professionals to be either accredited as CAT practitioners (type B) or CAT psychotherapists (type C).

The NHS Review of Psychotherapy Services suggests (3.0.11) that an argument could be made for centres of excellence for teaching and/or research in specific approaches, or with specific groups, as a national resource, citing the Tavistock. The units at Guys and St Thomas' are ideally placed to be designated such a centre of excellence for C.A.T.

Conclusion

Closure of St Thomas' Psychotherapy Unit will undermine the National development of CAT and threaten its continuing existence as a viable, efficient, effective, economic intervention within the NHS.