WHO endorses the rights-based mental health model at Sant Joan de Déu and Fundació Hospitalàries

Dr Michelle Funk, head of the QualityRights programme and the Policy, Law and Human Rights Unit in the Department of Mental Health and Substance Use at the World Health Organisation (WHO), has visited several Sant Joan de Déu and Fundació Hospitalàries mental health services to find out more about the rights-based model of care for the people attended to.

Funk said she was "impressed by the way in which Catalonia has embraced QualityRights and its implementation" and noted "the philosophy and the overarching focus on rights along with the significant progress achieved in recent years." However, she stressed the need to continue making headway in training and changing the mindset of professionals plus developing and learning new skills to deliver a different kind of support to the people being cared for.

During her visit to Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, Michelle Funk shared experiences with professionals, managers and users of mental health services and was able to see at first-hand the rights-based model of care for people with mental health problems and varying degrees of complexity, such as intellectual disability, alternative penal measures and people with serious disorders and special needs. She has also learned about mental health research initiatives in the SOMRISE project, which are jointly designed with people with their own experience and aim to generate knowledge which is applicable and transferable to care.

Funk commended the enthusiasm of the professionals at Parc Sanitari Sant Joan de Déu, the number of initiatives the institution carries out, the willingness and openness to change, and the recognition that, despite the progress, there is still a long way to go; “they really want to be part of the change and lead it. It's very encouraging and nice to be part of this as a group."

The purpose of the visit was to see at first-hand the operation of some of the specialised mental health programmes and services at Parc Sanitari and other Sant Joan de Déu and Fundació Hospitalàries facilities. On these visits, Funk saw how QualityRights are applied and learned about the model of rights and humanisation as a culture of care.

Funk's visit is part of the joint project run by both institutions together with the Department of Health with the goal of furthering the rollout of the QualityRights model sponsored by the WHO in the region's mental health facilities.

QualityRights; a commitment to quality care and human rights

Michelle Funk pointed out that a key goal of QualityRights is “to enhance the quality of care and ensure respect for the human rights of all people who may have a mental health problem, including tackling stigma and discrimination both in [mental health care] services and in the community.” One of the priorities of QualityRights is to eliminate the use of coercive practices in mental health as they are a major barrier to improved outcomes and also deter many people from seeking services when they need them. "There is evidence that when human rights are respected and quality care - which is part of these rights - is provided, outcomes are significantly better," commented Funk. "People respond better and there are better clinical and social outcomes. Ultimately, society as a whole benefits."