[Staff-patient meetings at the psychiatric unit of a university hospital center]

Abstract

Staff/patients meetings have been held for 10 years within a mental teaching hospital for adults. The meeting was initiated by a clinical psychologist still in charge of it. The patients have developed the following themes: (i) entrance conditions, (ii) everyday life information, (iii) inconveniences, (iv) mental illness, (v) the exclusion process. The least severely affected patients will exclude the other ones on ground of insanity. Yet all patients consider themselves banned from society, and even feel rejected by the stall at times. The meeting is meant as a regular talk scène. Individual or collective conflicts arising between the patients can be settled there. Patient passivity may also be counteracted. Staff seminar should work up clearly the data provided by the meeting.