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7/28/2019 Involuntary Hospitalization in Greece
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Involuntary psychiatric
hospitalization
in Greece
A protective mechanism or
deprivation of personal
freedom?
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Protection Freedom
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Involuntary hospitalization
A challenge to:
The psychiatric patient His/her family
Mental health professionals
Society at large
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0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
GREECE EUROPE
60%
10%
European and Greek average percentage of involuntary
commitments
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Greece has been twice sentenced by
the European Court of Human Rights
for human rights breaches during i.h.
process
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Patient profile
Male
40 years old
Lives with family in Urban area
Unemployed
Suffers from schizophrenia/psychotic disorder Is not addicted to drugs or alcohol
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Background and Legal Framework
Involuntary hospitalization in
Greece is regulated by
Act2071/1992
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Definition...
According to the Act 2071/1992 (Article 95)
Involuntary hospitalization is
the admission and stay of apatient in a therapeutic unit
without their consent
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Pre-requisites
The person suffers from a mental disorder He/she is in need of therapy
The person is not capable to decide based on
his/her healths best interest Abstinence from therapy would lead to
deterioration of his/her condition
The person is violent either tohimself/herself or toward others
He/she refuses to receive treatment
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Procedure
The procedure of involuntary hospitalization is
initiated and overlooked by a prosecutor
1. Evidence of mental illness +unwillingness to
receive evaluation or treatment
2. The prosecutor orders i.h. (for initial
evaluation)
3. Evaluation time should not exceed 48 hours
during which there should be 2 independent
psychiatric evaluations sent to the
prosecutor who decides about further stay
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4. Within 13 days of i.h. order the One Member
First Instance Court()must decide on the patients
stay or not and issues a temporary 28-day
hospitalization order
5. In the great majority of cases, the person is
taken to the hospital by the police (instead ofambulance)and may even be temporarily
detained at holding cells
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6. When the person is finally admitted for
evaluation, he/she must be informed of theirrights and obligations, most importantly theright to be present in court and appealagainst their admission
Involuntary hospitalization must not exceed 6
months When i.h. order ceases to be valid the person
is no longer considered to be a patient
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Criticisms
Traumatizing , stigmatizing and highly stressfulprocedure
Patient may be handcuffed and subjected toviolence
Police uneducated on emergency psychiatry issues
Coercive measures usedinside the hospital (forcedmedication, mechanical restraint, seclusion)
Psychiatrists often use vague labels in theirevaluation forms (e.g. )
The two evaluations are often made into one that issimply signed by two psychiatrists
Non-compliance with time limits
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In many cases the patient is not represented in court
and not informed of their rights
80% of all i.h. admissions is accommodated by themajor psychiatric hospitals in urban areas
long way to travel/inappropriate coexistence with
non i.h. patients/overpopulation/inability to
establish therapeutic relationship /care workers are
reduced to prison guards
Abuse of the system for other reasons (e.g. cases of
family/personal dispute)
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Psychiatric
reform notapplied
Racismtowards thementally ill
Law notapplied
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