The role of long term care centers in the Polish system of mental health care

Abstract

Abstract Objective: The aim of this work is to review the role of mental health care center and treatment center specialized in psychiatry in the Polish system of mental health care as a whole. Review: For many years in Poland, the process of transformation of psychiatric care model from the institutional (inpatient setting, most expensive) to community care model (personalized, much cheaper), has been taking place. The effective - coordinated system of community care should significantly improve cooperation in the treatment, while the community forms of health care should ensure full availability, complexity, and continuity of care provision. In many cases, the community support is inadequate and cannot provide patient with care at his home environment. For mentally ill, there may be a need for the use of the long term health care centers specialized in psychiatry. Conclusions: A long term mental health care center specialised in mental health plays an important role in long-term care for the mentally ill. As far as a mental health service user’s perspective is concerned, the continuity of care and treatment in the long term health care center (as a health care unit) appears to be more useful and satisfying compared to a residential home for people with chronic mental illnesses. There is a need for broad discussion on the special place of the long term health care center specialized in psychiatry in the present Polish system of mental health care and on the improving of care pathways between inpatient-, day care-and, community care package.