Thursday, October 16, 2008

[EQ] Policies and practices for mental health in Europe

Policies and practices for mental health in Europe

Meeting the challenges

 

Copenhagen, London, 10 October 2008

New WHO report maps out huge differences in mental health services and practice

 

Available online as PDF file [212p.] at: http://www.euro.who.int/document/E91732.pdf

 

“….A report by the WHO Regional Office for Europe, co-funded by the European Commission and launched today at a meeting hosted by the Department of Health in London, provides data not hitherto available on mental health policy and practice across the WHO European Region. It also highlights important information gaps.

Policies and practices for mental health in Europe allows for country-to-country comparisons on indicators such as numbers of psychiatrists, financing, community services, training of workforce, prescription of antidepressants, and representation of users and carers. The data were obtained from ministries of health. …”

 “….The data were obtained from the ministries of health of 42 European Member States. Over 150 figures and tables in the report demonstrate the diversity across the European Region, and allow country to country comparisons of indicators such as numbers of psychiatrists, financing, community services, training of the workforce, the prescription of anti-depressants and representation of users and carers…

 

Content:

 

1. Introduction

2. Methods

3. Policy and legislation on mental health

4. Promoting mental health and preventing mental disorders

Promoting mental health and tackling stigma and discrimination

Preventing mental disorders

Centrality of mental health

5. Mental health in primary care

Roles of general practitioners and family doctors in mental health care

Limitations on the role of general practitioners and family doctors in treating people with mental disorders

Availability of national guidelines on assessment and treatment for GPs dealing with people with mental health problems

Refresher training courses in the rational use of psychotropic drugs and in psychosocial intervention

Main activities initiated and developed since 2005 related to mental health services in primary health care

6. Mental health services

Inpatient services

Outpatient services

Community-based specialist mental health treatment and care

Residential health facilities

Forensic units

Mental health services for children and adolescents

Mental health services for older people

Access to interventions

Sex distribution

Access to and appropriateness of mental health services for linguistic and ethnic minorities and other vulnerable groups

7. Workforce for mental health care

8. Funding of mental health services

9. Social inclusion and welfare

10. Opportunities for the empowerment and representation of service users and carers

11. Human rights and mental health

12. Information and research on mental health

13. Conclusion

Annexes

Annex 1. Contributors from countries

Annex 2. Mental Health Declaration for Europe

 

 

 

 

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