Lack of access to psychological therapies on the NHS in Scotland means that doctors often have no choice but to prescribe sleeping pills for patients suffering from insomnia.

Speaking ahead of the European Sleep Research Society (ESRS) conference in Glasgow last month, Professor Colin Espie, director of the University of Glasgow Sleep Centre, said that tens of thousands of insomniacs could benefit from cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), but less than one per cent of patients get psychological help to tackle their problem. Meanwhile, more than 30 million sleeping pills are handed out in Scotland each year and doctors are also turning to antidepressants to tackle sleeping problems.

Professor Espie said: ‘We have been looking at non-pharmacological approaches to the management of insomnia using CBT. We now have good evidence that this can work and some people would rather have this kind of therapy than pills.’

Patients in Scotland can wait over a year to access CBT on the NHS. Earlier this year, the Scottish Government provided £1million for the NHS to offer a pilot scheme that will promote better mental health and wellbeing through the use of CBT.

The Scotsman