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​From the editor

What is your view of randomised controlled trialsÌý(RCTs)? Do they produce meaningful findingsÌýwhen it comes to measuring the efficacy ofÌýpsychological therapies? Or are they at bestÌýimpersonal and at worst an exercise in manipulating statisticsÌýto produce findings supporting the bias of those withÌývested interests?

The latter was the view of several counsellors before theyÌýtook part in the Randomised Controlled Trial of Acupuncture,ÌýCounselling and Usual Care for Depression (ACUDep). The study,Ìýcarried out at the University of York, was designed to compare theÌýclinical and cost-effectiveness of acupuncture, counselling andÌýusual care for moderate to severe depression, and is the subjectÌýof our lead article this issue.

As part of the trial, Sara Perren, Stewart Richmond and HughÌýMacPherson took the opportunity to look at the experiences ofÌýcounsellors participating in it, hearing about what they learnt andÌýascertaining whether their perspectives on RCTs (both methodsÌýand results) were changed by their participation.Ìý

In his article, Neville Tomlinson also takes on the subjectÌýof research, asking whether the emphasis on the need forÌýcounsellors and psychotherapists to provide evidence meansÌýthe therapeutic relationship is getting lost. In a challenge to theÌýsuperiority of the RCT as a way of measuring psychologicalÌýtherapies, Neville reminds us that the research we are consideringÌýis gleaned from the life stories of our fellow human beings, andÌýthat ultimately, only one person – the client – can determine theirÌýpersonal healing process and its success and sustainability.

Elsewhere in this issue, we feature two examples of good practiceÌýdriven by innovation in services. Anne Embury describes theÌýwork of a liaison service for those bereaved by suicide. TheÌýservice works in partnership with the local IAPT team so, ifÌýpost-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is identified, the liaisonÌýservice can pass referrals to the IAPT therapists. Anne alsoÌýdetails the service’s ground-breaking bereavement by suicideÌýgroups. Unable to source details in the UK about any groups runÌýon the same lines, Anne applied for, and was awarded, a fellowshipÌýby the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust which allowed her toÌýtravel to Australia and New Zealand to look at the delivery ofÌýevidence-based suicide bereavement groupwork.

In our second best practice feature, Sally Flatteau Taylor outlinesÌýthe work of The Maypole Project which offers emotional supportÌýto families living with a child diagnosed with an illness orÌýdisability. The project is person centred – offering immediatelyÌýavailable, flexible and continually accessible services. In Sally’sÌýwords, it is ‘a model based on a flexible provision of support –Ìýthat is, support when families want it, for as long as they want it’.

If your service can offer readers inspiration through goodÌýpractice, I’d love to hear from you with a view to writing an articleÌýfor us. Please get in touch with me at the email address below.

Sarah Hovington
Editor
hcpj.editorial@bacp.co.uk

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