**** NSHA Media Release
Nova Scotia Health expands access to new depression treatment through partnership
with QEII Foundation and Bell Let’s Talk
Nova Scotia Health’s Mental Health and Addictions Program is opening the province’s second repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) clinic at Valley Regional Hospital, in Kentville on April 4, 2022.
rTMS is used to stimulate or inhibit nerve cells in the brain to alleviate symptoms of depression. The therapy is intended for the one-third of people with major depressive disorders who don’t respond to medication.
The first location opened in January 2021 at the Nova Scotia Hospital site in Dartmouth. Both locations were made possible through a Bell Let’s Talk donation of $420,000 that helped the QEII Foundation reach its goal of $759,000 to launch the program in Nova Scotia.
rTMS is a new and less disruptive option than electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), which while highly effective also involves the use of general anesthesia and muscle relaxants. rTMS treatment helps people living with depression who are not experiencing improvement with medication.
“We are incredibly grateful for this generous donation from Bell Let’s Talk to the QEII Foundation,” said Dr. Ahmed Saleh, a psychiatrist at Valley Regional Hospital. “Until last year, rTMS treatment had only been provided through a private clinic. This is a great step forward in expanding access to this life-changing treatment at no cost to Nova Scotians.”
rTMS patients are able to return to normal daily activities immediately following treatment. A typical treatment course is approximately four to six weeks, with treatment sessions ranging between five and 40 minutes, five days a week.
“Visionary donors such as Bell Let’s Talk play a critical role in offering hope to Nova Scotians facing treatment-resistant depression,” said Susan Mullin, President and CEO, QEII Foundation. “The addition of a second rTMS clinic in western Nova Scotia is a significant milestone for our province and I feel a deep sense of pride knowing our donors are supporting this treatment option in both the Halifax Regional Municipality and beyond.”
“Bell Let’s Talk is excited to see the latest expansion of rTMS within Nova Scotia,” said Mary Deacon, Chair of the Bell Let’s Talk initiative. “Improving patient access to non-invasive treatment options is critical and we’re proud to partner with mental health care professionals across the province to help ensure that’s a reality.”
Patients must be referred to a psychiatrist through their primary health care provider to receive rTMS treatment. The provider can make a referral to Mental Health and Addictions Intake Service at 1-855-922-1122 and from there a psychiatrist will then meet with the patient to determine if this is the right course of treatment.
For more information on rTMS treatment visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cm24_VF6chw
