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Psychiatric reform in Greece: an overview
George Giannakopoulos1, Dimitris C Anagnostopoulos1
1Department of Child Psychiatry, School of Medicine, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens, Greece.
Bjpsych Bulletin
|April 6, 2017
Summary
The Leros asylum scandal spurred Greek mental health reform, leading to deinstitutionalisation and community services. However, the reform remains incomplete, facing challenges from under-developed services and the financial crisis.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Mental Health Services Research
- Health Policy
Background:
- The Leros asylum gained international notoriety in the 1980s due to a major scandal.
- This scandal led to significant international pressure, catalyzing the Greek mental health reform.
- The reform aimed to address the long-standing issues within the Leros institution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the progress and challenges of the Greek mental health reform initiated in the 1980s.
- To assess the impact of deinstitutionalisation and community-based service development in Leros.
- To identify persistent gaps and emerging issues within the reformed mental health system.
Main Methods:
- Review of reform projects Leros I and Leros II (1990-1994).
- Analysis of the subsequent Psychargos programme for community services.
- Assessment of sectorisation, primary care, inter-sectoral coordination, and specialised services.
Main Results:
- Deinstitutionalisation and community mental health services have advanced significantly since the 1980s.
- Interventions occurred at the Leros asylum under the Leros I and Leros II reform projects.
- The Psychargos programme facilitated the development of community-based services.
Conclusions:
- While significant progress has been made in Greek mental health reform, it remains incomplete.
- Under-developed sectorisation, primary care, inter-sectoral coordination, and specialised services pose ongoing challenges.
- The current financial crisis exacerbates the difficulties in fully implementing and sustaining mental health reforms.