The impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the medico-legal and human rights of psychiatric patients

authored by: Johannes Thome, Andrew N. Coogan, Frederick Simon, Matthias Fischer, Oliver Tucha, Frank Faltraco, Donatella Marazziti, Hermann Butzer
Abstract: The COVID-19 pandemic has raised significant concerns for population mental health and the effective provision of mental health services in the light of increased demands and barriers to service delivery [1]. Particular attention is being directed toward the possible neuropsychiatric sequelae of both COVID-19 and of the stringent societal mitigation steps deployed by national governments, concerns that are informed by historical increases in the incidence of psychotic disorders following influenza pandemics [2]. However, so far there has been scant attention paid to other important areas of psychiatry during COVID-19, including medico-legal aspects and human rights. In this paper, we discuss the legal implications for psychiatry of the COVID-19 pandemic and report a novel situation in which psychiatric patients may experience diminution of their statutory protections. We believe that this represents a paradigm shift in psychiatric care and that the consideration of the fundamental rights of psychiatric patients as "less important" than infection control measures compel mental health professionals to "advocate for … patients and their caregivers" in this time of crisis [1].
Organisation(s): Chair in Public Law , specializing in the Law of State Transfer Systems
External Organisation(s): University of Rostock
Maynooth University
University of Groningen
University of Pisa
Saint Camillus International University of Health Sciences (UniCamillus)
Type: Article
Journal: European psychiatry : the journal of the Association of European Psychiatrists
Volume: 63
Pages: e50
ISSN: 0767-399X
Publication date: 29.05.2020
Publication status: Published
Peer reviewed: Yes
ASJC Scopus subject areas: Psychiatry and Mental health
Sustainable Development Goals: SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
Electronic version(s): https://doi.org/10.1192/j.eurpsy.2020.58 (Access: Open)

BibTeX

@article{c475d0cd34c54604a6859ba3f7b27dba,
title = "The impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the medico-legal and human rights of psychiatric patients",
abstract = "The COVID-19 pandemic has raised significant concerns for population mental health and the effective provision of mental health services in the light of increased demands and barriers to service delivery [1]. Particular attention is being directed toward the possible neuropsychiatric sequelae of both COVID-19 and of the stringent societal mitigation steps deployed by national governments, concerns that are informed by historical increases in the incidence of psychotic disorders following influenza pandemics [2]. However, so far there has been scant attention paid to other important areas of psychiatry during COVID-19, including medico-legal aspects and human rights. In this paper, we discuss the legal implications for psychiatry of the COVID-19 pandemic and report a novel situation in which psychiatric patients may experience diminution of their statutory protections. We believe that this represents a paradigm shift in psychiatric care and that the consideration of the fundamental rights of psychiatric patients as {"}less important{"} than infection control measures compel mental health professionals to {"}advocate for … patients and their caregivers{"} in this time of crisis [1].",
author = "Johannes Thome and Coogan, {Andrew N.} and Frederick Simon and Matthias Fischer and Oliver Tucha and Frank Faltraco and Donatella Marazziti and Hermann Butzer",
year = "2020",
month = may,
day = "29",
doi = "10.1192/j.eurpsy.2020.58",
language = "English",
volume = "63",
pages = "e50",
journal = "European psychiatry : the journal of the Association of European Psychiatrists",
issn = "0767-399X",
publisher = "Psychiatrie & psychobiologie",
number = "1",
}