Memorandum by WHO Mental Health Programme
The World Health Organization (WHO) Regional
Office for Europe welcomed the European Commission (EC) proposal
for the development of an European Union (EU) Strategy for Mental
Health, which followed the Ministerial Conference in Helsinki.
WHO has long supported the development of mental
health in the European Region, with one of its later outcomes
being the European Ministerial Conference on Mental Health, held
in Helsinki, January 2005. This conference, with the support and
co-sponsorship of the European Commission and the Council of Europe,
gathered political support for mental health across 52 European
Member States which have signed and endorsed the European WHO
Declaration and Action Plan for Mental Health.
In support and further development of some lines
of the WHO Declaration and Action Plan, the Green Paper highlights
the importance of developing areas of mental health within the
competence of the EU, including the improvement of quality of
life and protecting the rights and dignity of people with mental
health problems, the promotion of mental health and prevention
of mental ill-health, and the provision of a European system on
mental health information. These are all also central aspects
in the WHO Action Plan.
7 DECEMBER 2006
1. STRENGTHENING
THE POINTS
PUT FORWARD
BY THE
WHO DECLARATION AND
ACTION PLAN
The role of the WHO and its accountability framework
differs considerably from the EU. Its health mandate is broader
than the EU, including support to countries to develop health
systems and services.
However the WHO Declaration and Action Plan
on Mental Health also stress the importance of mental health,
the centrality of mental health for human, social and economic
development and the importance and impact of positive mental health
as part of other public policies such as education, justice, social
care or employment. These aspects that contribute to population's
mental health and are outlined in the WHO Action Plan are central
to the European Commissions' role.
The WHO Declaration and Action Plan outline
a framework for a comprehensive approach to mental health. The
initiative of the European Commission strengthens the points put
forward by the WHO, and suggests actions in the areas of competency
of the EC, highlighting that mental health is central to health
and socio-economic development and key to achieving the EU's strategic
policy objectives such as those envisaged in the Lisbon Strategy.
2. ADDED VALUE
OF THE
GREEN PAPER
AND EU STRATEGY
We hope that the EU strategy on Mental Health
will add value as a supporting mechanism at the Community level
towards the implementation of the WHO Declaration and Action Plan
for Mental Health. I may also stimulate inter-sectoral policy
development through the engagement of the non-health policy sector.
In principle, WHO supports the proposed actions
and priorities identified in the Green Paper, which are based
on the current evidence, are supportive and complementary to those
proposed in the WHO Action Plan on Mental Health, and provide
a comprehensive approach. The four actions prioritised in the
Green Paper: promotion of mental health, prevention of mental
disorders, improvement of quality of life and protecting human
rights and dignity of people with mental health problems and a
developed mental health information, research and knowledge system
for the EU are essential. In addition the two areas of action
proposed by the EC Green paper at the European level, the creation
of a coordination mechanism and the inclusion of the non-health
sector on mental health issues are welcome by the WHO, as these
bring value added to the ongoing initiatives:
Coordination mechanism. The proposed actions
and initiatives by the EC Green Paper, such as the creation of
a European Platform and an information system for mental health
could be an asset for the development of mental health across
European countries. It could support exchange at the Community
level by providing a platform for an efficient approach to implementation.
The support to co-ordination across countries is crucial along
with the involvement of key European and International stakeholders
and organizations that have a direct or indirect relation to mental
health development, also as stressed in the WHO Declaration and
Action Plan. The presence of WHO as a partner in the coordination
mechanisms may ensure collaboration and information sharing as
well as avoid duplication.
Inclusion of non-health sector. The inclusion
of other non-health sectors in the proposed European Platform
and other actions proposed in the EU strategy supports the development
of action for mental health across public policy, potentially
broadening opportunities for improving the mental health in the
European Region.
3. EC AND WHO
WORKING TOGETHER
In order to ensure complementarity of approaches
and actions the WHO Mental Health Programme and the Mental Health
division of the European Commission have been working closely
together in the discussion and drafting of the EC Green Paper
on Mental Health.
Actions proposed in the Green Paper are compatible
with those proposed in the WHO Action Plan, and provide a description
of what can be achieved in the four areas of the WHO Action Plan
that the EC Green Paper encompasses.
The WHO has also been actively involved in the
preparation and course of the Consultation Process on the Green
Paper, and the organisation of the three Invited Consultation
meetings organised by the EC. The WHO Programme, as member in
the main committee of the EC to support the consultation process,
has been actively involved in the consultation meetings themselves
and in providing support for the outcomes of the meetings.
The WHO is currently involved in the brainstorming
sessions and drafting of the EU Strategy following the consultation
phase, furthering the recommendations in the Green Paper.
We hope that this synergy will be perceived
by Member States as a strengthening mechanism for the field of
mental health. The partnership between the two organisations could
ensure that the European future guidelines for mental health development
are perceived as a joint and complementary action.
CHALLENGES
A key challenge for the EC is the production
of a meaningful strategy that can make a positive impact on mental
health of the population of Member States, and to follow up the
strategy with activities that will facilitate change.
The WHO will need to muster its resources in
order to make the greatest impact in areas of greatest need. All
of its poorest Member States are outside the EU, and the balance
of action between the needs of people with mental illness and
the wellbeing of the population as a whole is very challenging.
Finally, the EC and the WHO are discussing how
best to complement each others' activities in order to avoid overlap.
Member States, mandates and implementation mechanisms are not
identical, and the organisations need to be constantly aware to
add value, rather than to duplicate efforts.
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