Harassment and discrimination faced by people with psycho-social
disability in health services. A European survey
English Information about the
Harassment-Project
UN Ad Hoc Committee
on an International Convention
Anti-Discrimination
Activities of the European Community
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Informationen
in deutscher Sprache über das Projekt
EU-Informationen in deutscher Sprache
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FRAMEWORK
The action project "Harassment and discrimination faced by people
with psycho-social disability in health services" is organised
in the framework of the Community Action Programme to combat discrimination
2001-2006, and is funded by the European Commission (EC) DG
Employment and Social Affairs. The preparatory phase was concluded
in March 2002. Between October 2002 and August 2003 the project
was developed further on. In September 2003 the EC approved the
results, and a third phase is funded in which the results will
be disseminated. The German Organisation of (ex-)Users and Survivors
of Psychiatry BPE replaced FNAP Psy, the the French network of
users' associations.
GOALS
The project aims through a European partnership of European/national/regional
organisations to collect information on discrimination against
people with mental health problems in health services and/or with
a psychiatric history (both general health care and mental health
services) on strategies to tackle this discrimination. While everybody
has the right to health care, discrimination towards people with
mental illness and/or with a psychiatric history may take different
forms, e.g. hostility, degrading jokes and remarks, disbelief,
violence such as involuntary treatment, seclusion or even sexual
assault, and it can take place at several levels: access to services
(hospital, dentist care, rehabilitation centre, emergency service,
etc), information, type of treatment, attitudes of staff, different
level of funding between somatic and psychiatric health care services.
PARTNERSHIP
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Bundesverband Psychiatrie-Erfahrener e.V. (BPE) German
Organisation of (ex-)Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (2003
2004)
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European
Network of (ex-) Users and Survivors of Psychiatry (ENUSP)
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Pro Mente Austria represented by Pro Mente
Salzburg
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Cliëntenbond (NL) Dutch organisation
of (ex-)users and survivors of psychiatry
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FEAFES (E) Confederación Española
de Agrupaciones de Familiares y Enfermos Mentales Spanish
Confederation of Family Grouping and Mentally IIl People
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Mind (UK) British largest Mental Health Charity
covering both England and Wales
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FNAP Psy (F) Fédération Nationale
des Associations de Patients et [ex] Patients "PSY";
French network of users' associations (2002 2003)
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LUCAS Institute (B) a research and training
institute
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Mental Health Europe (MHE)
Co-operation will be sought with organisations of health professionals
at national/regional and European level (e.g. European Standing
Committee of Nurses, European Standing Committee of Doctors, European
Hospital Federation), and with national/regional authorities.
EXPECTED RESULTS
There are 3 objectives to be reached:
1. To collect information and hard facts on discrimination based
on different types of indicators of stigma and discrimination
(service related indicators, self rating of (ex-)users and survivors
of psychiatry and relatives, legal provisions, establishment of
interested groups).
2. To identify strategies to combat discrimination against people
with mental health problems and/or with a psychiatric history
within general health care and mental health services.
3. To disseminate and raise awareness about strategies to overcome
discrimination against people with mental health problems and/or
with a psychiatric history within general health care services.
METHODS
Step 1 to collect information on discrimination facts (September
2002 January 2002) To increase the knowledge on discrimination,
several indicators of stigma and discrimination will be envisaged:
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self rating of (ex-)users and survivors of psychiatry
and relatives regarding experienced and perceived discrimination
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legal non discrimination provision concerning
people with mental health problems and/or with a psychiatric
history
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the resources available for mental health care
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the way the movement of (ex-)users and survivors
is organised in each country involved in the action project
(e.g. self-help groups, advocacy groups).
Step 2 to identify strategies to combat discrimination against
people with mental health problems and/or with a psychiatric history
(February 2003 May 2003). We expect that this step will highlight
the most relevant strategies to combat discrimination against
people with mental health problems and/or with a psychiatric history
in health care. MHE believes that (mental) health organisations
and (ex-)users/relatives organisations should work in collaboration
with health professionals in this phase of the action project.
It is necessary to establish a dialogue between these groups in
order to find projects that implement strategies to combat the
discrimination. ENUSP believes that organisations and rights of
(ex-)users and survivors should be strenghtened.
The National Partners will identify projects and strategies and
will organise Focus Groups with health professionals and (ex-)users
and survivors of psychiatry.
Step 3 to raise awareness about discrimination faced by people
with mental health problems and/or with a psychiatric history
in health care services and ways to overcome it (from June 2003)
Different target groups should be reached at national and European
level:
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disability organisations
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organisations of (ex-)users and survivors of
psychiatry and of relatives
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health professionals
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politicians and decision makers
To do this, specific activities and materials will be produced,
e.g., brochures, seminars, etc.
EVALUATION
Evaluation will be carried out at two levels:
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at the level of the co-operation between the
partners of the project and
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at the level of the strategies to combat discrimination.
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