Polish Model of Psychiatric Hospitalisation without a Patient’s Consent

Authors: Kmieciak B*

DOI: 10.23880/pprij-16000142

Volume 3, Issue 1

Abstract

There is a renowned ethical and legal standard for medical activities oriented on a patient, what has been observed for several decades. According to such a standard, every diagnostic activity and treatment may take place explicitly with patients consent. In relation to this, the key importance of patient’s autonomy and dignity is demonstrated. Historical data is recalled in such a context many times. A proportion of researchers recall the Second World War period, when German physicians made para-medical experiments on sick people. We may add that in such a period at least several dozen thousand patients from psychiatric hospitals were killed. Such activities majorly took place at territory of Poland and it had to strongly influence on specialists, who coped with mental health protection in the following years. Legal rules in such area were introduced at territory of Poland in the end of the 20th century. Psychiatrists have initiated such changes. Such changes particularly referred to the principles of activity without the patient’s consent. Polish standards for the forced psychiatric hospitalisation, that were introduced nearly 30 years ago, will be presented in this paper. Nevertheless, they certainly have the representative character in the area of such solutions, as they are currently undertaken in other countries.

Keywords: Human rights; Protection of mental health; Human dignity; Scientific research; Mentally sick patient

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