[Inpatient care in child and adolescent psychiatry-Who gets treatment?]

Abstract

Background and research question: This article presents and analyses the landscape for inpatient child and adolescent psychiatric care in Austria and examines current data from June 2022.

Method: In June 2022, the authors surveyed the current status of child and adolescent psychiatric primary care in Austria. Both systemised beds and day hospital beds as well as the number of specialists and assistant doctors were taken into account.

Results: A bed index of 0.05 beds/1000 inhabitants (as of 6/2022) was calculated, which is below the guideline for beds needed and does not correspond with the need depicted for sufficient provision of care ("Österreichischer Strukturplan Gesundheit"). Moreover, in June 2022, 40 beds had to be closed due to staff shortages and 26.5 training positions were vacant across Austria.

Discussion and conclusions: Even though the training ratio was raised to 1:2 as of 07.02.2022 within the framework of the "Mangelfachverordnung" for a limited period of time until 31.05.2027, it is hardly possible to guarantee sufficient mental health care according to the increased demand for child and adolescent psychiatry, especially in times of the pandemic. Measures need to be urgently taken to improve child and adolescent psychiatric treatment options. In order to ensure adequate care for the increasing number of mentally ill children and adolescents (a) the number of beds must be increased, (b) structural deficits have to improve, and (c) innovative treatment options in the sense of inpatient-equivalent treatment (home treatment) has to be considered.