Scope and Purpose

This workshop will explore ways of strengthening the role of medical, nursing and pharmacist journals in support of policy initiatives aimed at improving mental health reporting and treatment approaches in Europe. Journal editors from national medical, nursing and pharmacy associations will be joined by mental health experts, as well as representatives of communication and patient/consumer advocacy organisations.

Workshop topics (see attached provisional programme) will include an overview of Ministerial Conference agenda and Declaration, EU policy action plans, editorial policies, reporting ethics, stigma and discrimination, de-institutionalisation, suicide reporting, treatment options for depression, etc. Current patient advocacy and professional journal activities will be shared and new opportunities for leadership in this area will be identified. In particular, a joint campaign concept being developed with the World Health Professions Alliance (WMA, ICN and FIP), Mental Health: Ask? And Act! - It's your health will be discussed. Given the recent earthquake tragedy, a special session on mental health advocacy as part of disaster relief is being planned.

Mental Health: Ask? and Act! - It's Your Health! is proposed as a locally-based campaign aimed at stimulating a broader demand for Mental Health information and strengthening the capacity of health information mediators, e.g. health professionals, media, policy spokespeople, NGO advocates, and private sector advertisers, to respond effectively. Demand is to be generated through coordinated awareness-raising activities by participating networks. Capacity to deliver information is to be enhanced through networking, resource sharing and provision of tools and training.

Aims of the Meeting

Expected outcomes

PROVISIONAL PROGRAMME

11 January

11.30 Registration  
12.00 Welcome Buffet  
12.30 Introductions - Workshop Aims and Outcomes Franklin Apfel, WHCA
13.00 Editors' Roundtable: Advocacy, campaigning, independence and independence and editorial policy? Darko Hren, Croatia
Kaarina Wilskman, Finland
ValgerÄ‘ur Jónsdóttir, Iceland
Ian McMillan, UK
Erszébet Fazekas, Hungary
14.30 Coffee Break  
14.45 Ministerial Meeting - Media Agenda Viv Taylor Gee, WHO Euro
15.00 WHO European Ministerial Conference - Mental Health: An Overview Matt Muijen, WHO Euro
16.00 Campaign concepts - Mental Health: Ask?and Act! - It's your Health! Linda Carrier-Walker, ICN
Heini Parkkunen, Healthy Cities Baltic Centre
16.45 Special Session : Mental Health and Disaster Relief Kristian Wahlbeck, Stakes, Finland
17.30 Summing up of day's session Franklin Apfel
18.00 Close  
19.30 Dinner - location TBA  

12 January

9.00 Welcome Franklin Apfel
9.15 NGO roundtable John Henderson, Mental Health Europe
Hilkka Kärkkäinen, GAMIAN-Europe
Galina Veshova, Geneva Initiative
10.00 Coffee Gregor Henderson, National Programme Mental Health & Wellbeing, Scotland
David McDaid, London School of Economics
10.30 Policy/economics roundtable  
11.15 Review and closing remarks Franklin Apfel
12.00 Close