Europe Day 2018: all citizens should have access to the right care

On Europe Day 2018 Mental Health Europe reaffirms its call for reform of mental health practices so all citizens have access to the best care.

Today tens of thousands of people in Europe who are experiencing mental health difficulties still live in psychiatric and other institutions. Hundreds of thousands more live under full guardianship, deprived of basic rights.

In many states outdated and questionable practices are still an integral part of mental health systems. The Mapping Exclusion report – produced earlier this year by Mental Health Europe and the University of Kent Tizard Centre – found institutional care, coercion, forced medication, loss of rights, and involuntary hospitalisation sadly remain a reality in Europe.

On Europe Day 2018 we reflect on the progress being made – the states reforming legal capacity and guardianship laws, and those transitioning from institutional to community based-services – but we also urge the European Union and member states to keep working to create systems founded on human rights and recovery for all Europeans.

Just six months ago the European Pillar of Social Rights – the most recent European social initiative – was adopted by the EU Commission. On Europe Day 2018 we restate our view that Europe has a social model to promote, one which is based on the respect of human rights and access to healthcare for all Europeans.

You can download ‘Mapping and Understanding Exclusion’ in Europe, and read all the report’s recommendations, HERE.

Watch a short video on Mapping Exclusion: