Current trends in psychiatry care in Finland with special focus on private practice psychiatry and psychotherapy

Abstract

Several previous reforms decentralized Finnish psychiatric services to a great extent. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health is outlining a proposal for Health Care Law, which makes an effort to centralize and reorganize healthcare. It is not yet possible to see what this will mean for the psychiatric services. In general, the health status of the Finnish population has improved. Although rates of suicides have declined considerably, rates of alcohol-related deaths have risen. Moreover, disability related to major depression has increased drastically, which has lead to a nationwide project called MASTO, which has the aim to improve early detection and treatment of depression. The Ministry of Social Affairs and Health set up a work group, MIND 2009, to draft local working models for mental health and addiction services. To study the significance of psychotherapy in a private practice psychiatric context, the Finnish Psychiatric Association conducted a survey amongst its members. Most psychiatrists in private practice conduct psychotherapy.