background The care standard ‘Depressive disorders’ describes the complete patient journey for patients with depressive symptoms and disorders from the age of 8 years onwards.
aim To describe the most important recommendations in this care standard.
method The care standard is an adaptation of the existing guidelines for depression, supplemented with practical knowledge from professionals and patients’ values and preferences.
results Core elements in the care for depression are an appropriate use of care and a focus on relapse prevention. A combination of psychotherapy and medication is indicated for persistent depression and more sessions of psychotherapy might be required. There is some evidence for the use of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in treatment-resistant depression.
conclusion The care standard is an important instrument to improve the quality of care for depression at both the organisational and the regional level.