TMS on the NHS: Availability, Eligibility and Alternatives

Yes. Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (rTMS) for depression is recognised by NICE and endorsed by the Royal College of Psychiatrists, and several NHS trusts run an rTMS service.

The catch is access. Only some trusts offer it, so whether you can get TMS on the NHS depends heavily on where you live, and you generally need to be under secondary mental health services with a psychiatrist’s referral.

NHS rTMS is usually reserved for treatment-resistant depression, people who have not responded to antidepressants or psychological therapy, or for whom medication is unsuitable. A psychiatrist must assess and refer you.

Because services are concentrated in a small number of centres, waiting times can be long and many patients cannot access treatment in their own area. A standard NHS course is around 30 sessions, delivered daily over five to six weeks.

If your local NHS trust does not offer rTMS, or the waiting list is long, you do not have to wait. At Neuropulsas in Vilnius there is no waiting list, and we offer an accelerated program that delivers a full 30-session course in about one week.

Program price: €2,900 (treatment and doctor consultations; travel and accommodation not included). It is designed for international patients, including those travelling from the UK and Ireland.