european psychiatric association

6th EPA Forum

Held in a virtual format on Saturday 4 July 2020, the 6th EPA Forum preceded the opening of the 28th European Congress of Psychiatry, under the title “How COVID-19 resets the interaction among mental health workforces in Europe”.

The 2020 Forum saw the active participation of GAMIAN-Europe (EPA Board member), in addition to policy makers and mental health experts from the EU and international organisations. Participants joined each other online to analyse the consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on mental health and the ways it shaped the interaction among health and mental health workforces in Europe.

Professor Philip Gorwood, EPA President (mandate 2019-2021), introduced the speakers and the exceptional opening address of Stella Kyriakides, EU Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, who highlighted the importance of collaboration and a cross-discipline approach when facing the mental health consequences of COVID-19.

The opening address was followed by a presentation of the EPA Ambassadors Programme by Professor Gorwood, who showed the preliminary results of the first survey and the steps to be taken to become an EPA ambassador.

With a multi-perspective approach, the two roundtables that followed revealed the existing gaps and common needs shared by mental health professionals, patients, carers and institutions while facing the consequences of COVID-19 on mental health.

In their closing speech, Philip Gorwood and Matt Muijen (Board member of GAMIAN-Europe) stated that collaboration and solidarity among mental health workforces are key, especially in times of emergency.

Watch the 6th EPA Forum 2020 here below:

 

PROGRAMME

9:00 – Welcome and Introduction, Philip Gorwood, EPA President and Matt Muijen, GAMIAN-Europe Board Member

9:10 – Keynote address, Stella Kyriakides, EU Commissioner for Health & Food Safety

9:20 – EPA Ambassadors Survey, Philip Gorwood, EPA President

9:30 – Mental Health workforces’ interactions in the post-Covid times: professionals’ perspective 

Roundtable discussion:

  • Andrew Brittlebank, President, Union of Medical Specialists – Psychiatry Section (UEMS)
  • Nina Kilkku, President, European Psychiatric Nurses Organisation (HORATIO)
  • Christoph Steinebach, President, European Federation of Psychologists’ Association (EFPA)
  • George Stercu, President, European Federation of Psychiatric Trainees (EFPT)
  • Carmen Suarez, 1st Vice chairman, European Region, World Confederation for Physiotherapy (WCP)
  • Naomi Hankinson, Vice President, Council of Occupation Therapists for European Countries (COTEC)

10:40 – Q&A

10:55 – Coffee Break

11:10 – Optimal interaction within the Mental Health Workforces in the post-Covid times: European and international institutional and non-governmental views

Roundtable discussion:

  • Miia Männikkö, President, European Federation of Associations of Families of People with Mental Illness (EUFAMI)
  • Helen Herrman, President, World Psychiatric Association (WPA)
  • Eileen Rocard, Data Analyst, Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD)
  • Simavi Vahip, Chair, EPA Council of National Psychiatric Associations (NPAs)
  • Nicoline Tamsma, Policy Officer, DG Health and Food Safety, European Commission

12:10 – Q&A

12:25 – Closing remarks, Philip Gorwood, EPA President and Matt Muijen, GAMIAN-Europe Board Member