You have to wait up to several months for a visit to a psychiatrist under the NHF, even though a specialist’s referral is not required. The reason is too few doctors. In this respect, we are in the penultimate place in Europe (only Bulgaria is behind us). Meanwhile, the number of Poles in need of psychiatric help is growing rapidly. However, this is not the only problem. What changes do Polish psychiatry most need? Representatives of the Polish Psychiatric Association discussed this on January 17.
Seriously ill people with mental disorders, especially those with suicidal thoughts, need help as soon as possible. – A few months of waiting may be too long for them – alarms the national consultant in the field of psychiatry prof. Piotr Gałecki.
The reason for the very low availability of psychiatric treatment is the insufficient number of psychiatrists and underinvestment in this area within public health care. The data presented at the conference show that there are only about 4 in Poland. psychiatrists, while in Germany there are 18,2 thousand and in France 15,2 thousand.
In terms of the number of inhabitants, Poland is in the penultimate place in the European Union (only Bulgaria is behind us). We have only 90 doctors of this specialty for 1 million people, while in Finland, which is in the first place, there are 236 psychiatrists, in Sweden – 231, the Netherlands – 230, France – 228, Lithuania – 225, Germany – 223, and Greece – 219.
– The most difficult situation is in child psychiatry. There are only 402 doctors of this specialization – said prof. Gałecki. There are already 200 doctors of this specialty missing.
According to prof. Gałecki, the situation in Polish psychiatry will not improve if funding for this medical field does not increase. We spend only 3,4% on psychiatric treatment. health care budget (the EU average is 6%).
Another problem is the outdated infrastructure and buildings that have not been renovated for years, in which hospitals are located (more than once from tsarist or post-German times).
Psychiatrists also pointed to an outdated model of care, based mainly on hospitals. – Care should be provided by a clinic, day ward, environmental treatment, and at a higher level, a closed ward and specialist facilities, e.g. for people with eating disorders – said Dr. Sławomir Murawiec.
Meanwhile, the demand for psychiatric treatment in Poland is growing. Between 2008 and 2016, sales of prescribed antidepressants increased by 30%. In 2016, 1,2 million people benefited from the help of psychiatrists in clinics that have an agreement with the National Health Fund. – However, there are many more Poles in need of help. Police statistics show that more people die in our country as a result of suicide death than in road accidents, emphasized Dr. Sławomir Murawiec from the Polish Psychiatric Association. In 2016, 5,5 thousand people took their own lives. Poles, about 3 died in accidents people.
There is also good news. – From 2019, in the new standards of perinatal care, there will be a screening test, determining the risk of depression, in the new standards of perinatal care, and then a psychologist or psychiatrist will intervene. As part of the care, the woman has to self-assess depression three times – said prof. Piotr Gałecki.
According to the EZOP report (Epidemiology of Psychiatric Disorders and Availability of Psychiatric Healthcare), there may be 6 – 7,5 million people with mental disorders in Poland. Most often they struggle with anxiety disorders, addictions and depressive disorders.