People with mental health problems have to wait in Germany for a long time on a Therapy site, an average of almost five months. Just in the country, where there is often significantly less established psychotherapist, the wait can be even longer. The Minister of health, Jens Spahn (CDU) wants to improve the supply.
Jens Spahn
His idea: in the Future, specially trained Doctors and psychotherapists, patients should look for with mental health problems pre-and decide who gets which therapy. This is clear from the draft law on the date of service and supply act (TSVG), with which the Bundestag should deal with on Friday in the first reading.
The Problem: psychologists, Doctors and psychotherapists are not very enthusiastic of Spahns plans. On the contrary, it is violent resistance. Almost 150,000 people have signed a Petition to overturn the planned innovation. The Federal Council also rejects the project of the Minister of health. Spahn himself is willing now to compromise. “I do not exclude that we will find other arrangements,” said Spahn on Wednesday in the ARD morning magazine.
The psychotherapist Ariadne Sartorius had the idea for the Petition. In an Interview with SPIEGEL ONLINE, she explains how it came to be and where Jens Spahn makes a mistake from their point of view.
MIRROR ONLINE: The Minister of health wants, in the future, specially trained experts to decide what type of psychotherapy. Just people with serious problems to get help faster. What is so bad about it?
Ariadne Sartorius: Spahns draft law, disenfranchised and discriminated against people with mental health problems. My patients, for example, are targeted to me because I was recommended to you or because you addressed my Homepage. When we meet for the first Time, so there is already a certain level of basic trust. Spahns projects would change radically. Patients could not choose their therapists, but an expert to be credible would have to make sure you actually need the help – and the within the shortest period of time. To build trust, there’s no time.
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Is not this a legitimate request, in order to avoid unnecessary therapies to avoid?
Sartorius: Spahn provides people with mental health problems, with his plans under a General suspicion. You would have to in the future, prove that you need a therapy and not just a friend. This builds enormous pressure. Just people that actually need help urgently, only to be deterred right. Many of my patients take a long time before you can talk about Intimate and reports how much you’re suffering. No therapist can conjure up after only one conversation for each of the appropriate treatment plan out of the hat.
SPIEGEL ONLINE: In the care of people with mental health problems there are huge bottlenecks. If not Spahns proposal – as they should be otherwise solved?
Sartorius: It has been much improved. Since one and a half years, there are psycho-therapeutic consulting hours, to which everyone with mental health problems. The Instrument has proven itself in the past. The waiting time for a first conversation has to be significantly shortened. This is the path we should follow him and not back stalling.
The psychotherapeutic consultation
Since April of 2017, psychotherapists are required office hours to offer. In particular, people with serious mental health problems significantly more quickly to a therapy place. Read more about it here. According to a study by the Federal chamber of psychotherapists, 60 percent of the clients receive psycho-therapeutic treatment. Every sixth of them experienced a strong psychological crisis, acute treatment is necessary. The other 40 percent of patients get no therapy. Because you need to have from the point of view of the therapist, none, or because there are not enough spaces. In the evaluation of 240,000 patients were evaluated data.
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Currently get 40 percent of patients after the acute consultation no place for Therapy, shows a study of the Federal chamber of psychotherapists. In part, because they do not require therapy, but also because there are not enough spaces. The office hours alone can’t solve the Problem with the lack of supply. What other ways are there?
Sartorius: What we need are more psychotherapists, the their services via the insurance, so more cash in approvals, especially in rural regions. In addition, there is often still the coordination between psychotherapists, Doctors and psychiatrists, because that can currently be settled. Such agreements must, we do so voluntarily in our spare time.
MIRROR ONLINE: The sickness funds criticize that the existing authorisations would not be used sufficiently. Many psychotherapists are therefore working only part-time, although they occupy a whole cash approval. Didn’t have to work the established psychotherapists more?
Sartorius: The idea of the psychotherapist, only the pleasant cases are singled out and only half the day working, is simply wrong. This error is also apparently, Mr. Spahn. There is a Definition of a maximum busy practice, from the Federal social court: This means for a psychotherapist, 36 public patients per week insured to treat. This is hardly possible, because with a 50-minute discussion per Patient it is not done for a long time. We also need to prepare for the patient, the calls to evaluate, the therapy is carefully documented, and so on. A third of our working time on it. A psychotherapist is, therefore, only be fully utilized if he works at least 55 hours. Can afford it the least, especially with such a responsible Job.
SPIEGEL ONLINE: Why is your criticism now?
Sartorius: the Change in The law project took us by surprise. Mr. Spahn has spoken to us in advance about it. We have the feeling that the passage of the gorge should secretly be accommodated in the legislation. We will not accept and we are only then satisfied, if it is again deleted.
