South Island Ketamine Clinic

The South Island Ketamine Clinic (SIKC) is not an emergency service.  Please contact a mental health crisis team if you require urgent or emergency psychiatric care.  For contact information click here.  If you believe yourself or someone is at immediate risk, call 111

Paramedic Associates partners with the South Island Ketamine Clinic (www.sikc.co.nz) which consists of a team of experienced mental health clinicians based in Christchurch who specialise in treatment-resistant mood disorders. The multidisciplinary team is made up of psychiatrists, nurses, and paramedics, and offers face-to-face and virtual consultations to deliver home-based treatment, specifically ketamine.

Ketamine is an N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDA) blocker used historically as a dissociative anaesthetic agent, although recent studies have demonstrated its antidepressant and anti-suicidal effects. Only 70% of patients respond to traditional antidepressants, while the remaining 30% have treatment-resistant depression (TRD). Ketamine is a novel treatment for TRD with a rapid anti-suicidal effect. It may also prove helpful in the treatment of complex PTSD and treatment-resistant OCD. Ketamine can be delivered orally or via injection

Ketamine is often compared to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT), which is the standard treatment for TRD. Although ECT boasts a high response rate of 70%—80%, it is invasive and costly. Ketamine can be administered at home and has similar efficacy to ECT in the short to medium term. Unlike traditional antidepressants, ketamine has a rapid onset of action, although its effect may be short-lived. Therefore, patients may or may not require maintenance therapy to maintain their progress. 

The most commonly reported side effects are dissociation with or without hallucination. Dissociation is best described as an unusual experience of being disconnected from one's thoughts, feelings, surroundings, and identity that lasts several minutes up to an hour. If this concerns you, your nurse can offer sedatives to calm you down. You are advised not to drive for at least four hours after taking ketamine. Other side effects include transient hypertension and bladder dysfunction (only with long-term use).

The SIKC accept patients between the ages of 20 and 65 with TRD, excluding pregnant individuals. TRD is defined as depression that has failed to respond to at least one SSRI (e.g., citalopram, sertraline, etc.), SNRI (venlafaxine), and mood stabiliser (e.g., lamotrigine, lithium, etc.). Alternatively, you may also qualify if you cannot tolerate traditional antidepressants and mood stabilisers or if the use of ketamine is more aligned with your goals and values.

Please click on this link to assess your depression score. 

Ketamine has been shown to have rapid anti-suicidal effects and may alleviate suicidal ideation. However, SIKC is not a crisis service and recommends contacting your local ambulance or crisis resolution service if you feel unsafe.

The cost of treatment will vary depending on your needs and severity. A six-month treatment package will cost between $4000 and $6500, with or without additional fees (i.e. travel fees, additional appointments, etc.)

Not necessarily. SIKC provides face-to-face or virtual consultations, depending on your preference. The team can also travel to your location to administer treatment where you feel most familiar.

For more information, and to enquire or refer, visit www.sikc.co.nz