Brussels Digest
Working together to prevent suicide
10 October 2019 – On the occasion of today’s World Mental Health Day, in addition to the key messages delivered on 10 September, the European Psychiatric Association (EPA) and its National Psychiatric Associations (NPAs) join the WHO “40 seconds of action” campaign to increase awareness of the tremendous impact of suicide as a global public health problem and let people know what can be done to prevent suicide.
Mari Fresu, Scientific and Policy Manager
EPA Brussels Office
Hot Topics from around Europe
Reduction in Restrictive Practices on Psychiatric Wards
9 months ago, a collaborative quality programme, the Reducing Restrictive Practice programme (RRP) was developed and implemented in 38 mental health wards across England as part of a wider `Mental Health Safety Improvement Programme’ an initiative stemming from the National Health Services Improvement Plan. By September 2019 and in only nine months, just midway through the RRP, over half of the participating wards had seen a dramatic reduction in their use of physical restraint, seclusion and rapid tranquilisation. 21 of the 38 wards had seen a drop, with some wards achieving reductions as big as 88%.
Prof. Olivier Andlauer
UK – Royal College of Psychiatrists
Time for Action!
Online registration is open for EPA 2020 Madrid
Registration for the 28th European Congress of Psychiatry is now open on the Congress website.
Join us in Madrid, Spain, from 28 to 31 March 2020, and be a part of the future discussion and educational forums on a range of topics in the field of psychiatry, psychology, social work, and clinical trials!
Register to attend the EPA Congress before 21 January 2020 to take advantage of the most affordable way to attend the Congress with the early bird savings.
EPA Administrative Office
Closer Look to our Partner NPAs
Lobbing for Brain Health
The Polish Psychiatric Association (PPA) in collaboration with Brussel EPA Office, issued relevant requests to Jarosław Gowin, the Minister of Science and Higher Education, and Jerzy Kwiecinski, the Minister for Investment, Economic Development and Finance, in response to which the Deputy Secretary of State Sebastian Skuza officially confirmed putting the “Brain Health” partnership among Poland’s priorities.
Prof. Jerzy Samochowiec, NPA president and Dr. Sławomir Murawiec
Polish Psychiatric Association
Mental Health and Family. How to prevent Suicide?
World Mental Health Day observed in Moldova on October 10th. WMHF, WHO, EPA and many other organisations supported the theme “Suicide Prevention” and organised activities for 2019 World Mental Health Day. On this occasion Society of Psychiatrists, Narcologists, Psychotherapists and Clinical Psychologists from Moldova in collaboration with Family Federation for World Peace and Unification from Moldova organized a forum, under the topic of “Mental health and family: how to prevent suicide?”
Prof. Jana Chihai, NPA President and Prof. Andrei Esanu, NPA Secretary
Society of Psychiatrists, Narcologists, Psychotherapists and Clinical Psychologists from Moldova
World Mental Health Day – Events in Poland AD 2019
World Mental Health Day 2019, celebrated under the slogan “Mental health promotion and prevention of suicide” on October 10, received numerous media coverage and became the focus of educational events at national and local level all across Poland. On that day, the Polish Psychiatric Association got involved in various activities in support of raising social awareness, requesting the organizers thereof and the media alike to spread the word about all undertaken actions. The members of the PPA featured in television shows and radio broadcasts. Numerous local initiatives were implemented via social campaigns organized, among others, in Warsaw, Krakow, Otwock, and Kołobrzeg. The celebrations were also actively joined by universities, while numerous other institutions posted information on their websites.
Prof. Jerzy Samochowiec, NPA President and Dr. Sławomir Murawiec
Polish Psychiatric Association
News from the Council
NPA/EPA Symposium at the 18th Czech-Slovak Psychiatric Congress in Brno, 25-27 September 2019
The 18th Czech-Slovak Psychiatric Congress took place in Brno, Czech Republic, from 25 to 27 September 2019. Its central motto, “Following footsteps of the Czecho-Slovak psychiatry on the road to the future” provided opportunity to look back into shared history and to compare current experiences and visions of the future plans for psychiatry in both countries.
Part of the scientific program of the 18th Czech-Slovak Psychiatric Congress was a joint symposium organized by the Council of the National Psychiatric Associations of the European Psychiatric Association (NPA/EPA) and the Czech Psychiatric Association (CPA) and the Slovak Psychiatric Association (SPA), The symposium was titled “Unmet needs in the long-term treatment of serious mental illness: from remission to recovery”, and was chaired by Dr. Julian Beezhold (EPA) and Prof. Pavel Mohr (CPA).
PProf. MUDr. Pavel Mohr, Ph.D, President
Czech Psychiatric Association
News and Reports from NPAs events
The Luc-Ciompi Prize 2019
Dr. Matthias Kirschner was awarded the Luc-Ciompi Prize of the Swiss Society of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (SGPP) for his work on the use of MRI for the early detection of schizophrenia. The recognition prize goes to the linguist Helena Rohen for her work “Conversations with schizophrenics and the attempt to bridge their coherence gaps”.
Further information on the work of Luc Ciompi can be found on his homepage.
Swiss Society of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy
The Annual Symposium of Psychiatry in Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Psychiatric Association of Bosnia-Herzegovina (PABH) has been organized XVII Psychiatric Days of Bosnia and Herzegovina as its traditional international annual meeting. The Symposium was held in period 25th-26th October 2019 under the main theme “Treatments in Psychiatry: Actualities and Dilemmas” in City of Tuzla. Numerous participants and guests (more than 180) from the whole country and 5 more European countries (Austria, Germany, The Nederlands, Croatia and Serbia) were included in broad Scientific Programme, which included 27 Invited Lectures, 15 oral and 20 poster presentations, as well as several Satellite Symposia.
Prof. Izet Pajevic, NPA President
Prof. Mevludin Hasanovic, President (Local Organizing Committee)
Dr. Goran Racetovic, NPA Secretary General
Psychiatric Association of Bosnia-Herzegovina
46th Congress of Polish Psychiatrists Szczecin 18-20.06.2020
We are proud to announce, that the 46th Congress of Polish Psychiatrists will be attended by Professor Philip Gorwood, President of the European Psychiatric Association, who kindly accepted our invitation to Szczecin. Joining us for one of the sessions will also be past EPA Presidents – Professor Danuta Wasserman, Professor Wolfgang Gaebel and Professor Silvana Galderisi.
During this Session at the Opening Ceremony they will receive honorable membership of Polish Psychiatric Association as it was voted at the last PTP General Assembly on the 24th September 2019.
Prof. Jerzy Samochowiec, NPA President
Polish Psychiatric Association
Calendar
| 20-21 March 2020 (Berlin, Germany) Berlin Course CL 2020 |
| 28-31 March 2020 (Madrid, Spain) 28th European Congress of Psychiatry |
| 2-5 April 2020 (Antalya, Turkey) 24th Annual Meeting of Psychiatric Association of Turkey & Clinical Education Symposium |
| 18-20 June 2020 (Szczecin, Poland) 46th Congress of Polish Psychiatrists |
| 29 June-02 July 2020 (Edinburgh, UK) The Royal College of Psychiatrists International Congress 2020 |
| 1-4 September 2020 (Rome, Italy) ESSSB18, 18th European Symposium on Suicide and Suicidal Behavior |
| 10-12 September 2020 (Cambridge, UK) 20th Congress of the European Psychiatric Association Section of Epidemiology & Social Psychiatry “Towards a perfect vision for public mental health”. |
InterACT Editorial Board members
Simavi Vahip (Turkey) – Editor-in-Chief
Jerzy Samochowiec (Poland)
Bernardo Carpiniello (Italy)
Tamas Kurimay (Hungary)
Maria Ladea (Romania)
Nataliya Maruta (Ukraine)Goran Racetovic (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
Pedro Varandas (Portugal)