How Can Guidance Recommendations Contribute to Better Mental Health?

Abstract

Introduction

In European countries, the quality of mental healthcare services is often limited due to scarce and inequitable distributed resources, and inefficient use of existing resources. Against this background, the EPA Guidance provides recommendations on how to optimize quality of mental healthcare for all European countries.

Objectives

Provision of guidance recommendations in order to support optimization and harmonization of mental healthcare services in European countries.

Methods

By means of evidence and consensus-based methods EPA guidance papers are developed by experts in psychiatry and related fields [1].

Results

As of 2012, five EPA guidance series have been developed and published [2]. They focus on various aspects of mental healthcare and clinical situations that have not been covered by medical guidelines yet but are considered important to deliver high quality mental healthcare. Papers deal amongst others with topics relating to quality assurance of mental health services, as quality of mental health service structures and processes, and building trust in mental health services.

Conclusions

EPA guidance recommendations can improve mental healthcare provision and thereby contribute to better mental health of persons receiving mental healthcare. For this purpose, recommendations need to be widely disseminated and implemented in European countries.

Disclosure of interest

Unterstützung bei Symposien/Symposia Support

− Janssen-Cilag GmbH, Neuss

− Aristo Pharma GmbH, Berlin

− Lilly Deutschland GmbH, Bad Homburg

− Servier Deutschland GmbH, München− Fakultätsmitglied/Faculty Member

− Lundbeck International Neuroscience Foundation (LINF), Dänemark