Outpatient psychiatry explicitly on the parliamentary agenda
In a recent parliamentary question, Representative Jean-François Gatelier explicitly referred to the survey by the Belgian Federation for Outpatient Psychiatry (BFAP) regarding waiting times and accessibility in psychiatry. In his response, Minister Frank Vandenbroucke confirmed that there is currently no systematic registration of waiting lists, and he announced the further development of an inter-federal mental health care plan, inspired by the WHO framework (2025).
BFAP welcomes the fact that signals from the outpatient field are finding their way into the parliamentary debate. At the same time, one observation remains: the Belgian mental health care system is currently heavily driven by crises and admissions. This translates into high societal costs, pressure on emergency and residential care, and avoidable escalations and suicide (attempts).
Investing in outpatient psychiatric care therefore remains a structural cornerstone of a coherent mental health care system. Early, accessible, and sufficiently funded outpatient care is not only clinically more effective, but also cost-efficient and in line with international recommendations (WHO, EU).
BFAP continues to constructively inform policy with data from the field, with one clear goal: a mental health care system that is less reactive and organized more preventively, continuously, and locally.
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