This year’s World Mental Health Day in Slovakia focuses its attention on the humanization of psychiatry. On this occasion, a pilot project for the introduction of honesty trees and messages to patients in the first Slovak psychiatric clinic in a university hospital was presented. The project was well received by experts, hospitals and patients. The Slovak Ministry of Health also plans to invest in humanization in psychiatry.

“The aim of World Mental Health Day is to raise awareness of mental health issues around the world, to mobilize efforts to support them, and also to emphasize the equality of mental health issues with physical health,” said ubomíra Izáková, chief psychiatrist at the Slovak Ministry of Health, in a statement. Press conference. As he added, this year they decided to devote him to mental hospital conditions. “This is a topic that has long been stigmatized in the public eye. It is talked about a lot, but at the same time it opens up questions about the need for humanization in psychiatry,” he added.

Hospitals across the country are involved

Slovak psychiatrists achieve international and proven models of safe psychiatric treatment. “This is the so-called Safewards model, which includes several recommendations for improving the therapeutic relationship with patients. And one of them, which we decided to implement in Slovakia as well, is the Message Tree,” explains Martina Dubovcová, chair of the Section of Nurses Working in Psychiatry. A message tree for patients was introduced in their workplace by the first Slovak psychiatric clinic in a university hospital. The project consists of leaving messages from patients leaving the ward. According to him, their message can be very helpful for new patients.

“Many patients come to the inpatient department in an acute state, in a state of hopelessness and fear. They don’t know what to expect, they often cover up their feelings. This is a message from a previous patient that can give them hope and a positive touch on what is being said. staff about the goals and benefits of hospitalization,” explains Dubovcová.

The University Hospital of Bratislava (UNB) also joined the project. “I am very happy that we are one of the first hospitals to decide to implement this innovative model in our two psychiatric clinics. I am sure we will also be an inspiration to other hospitals,” said Alexander Mayer, director of UNB. Besides UNB, Psychiatry Clinic The University Hospital in Martin and two psychiatric clinics at the University Hospital in Košice are also involved in the project in the pilot phase.“We would be very happy if such a tree would gradually grow in other clinics and departments of psychiatry as well,” insists Ľubomíra Izáková, one of the initiators. the project.

Jozef Brezovsky