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It is heartening to get a response such as Dr Firestone's and to see
that there is an interest in the underlying issues regarding psychiatric
services and practices in countries such as those in Eastern Europe,
disadvantaged by economic, historical, political, or ideological
misfortune. Indeed, while psychiatric practices in our own 'developed'
nations may not always be ideal, it is difficult to accurately convey the
extent of deprivation existing in places such as that mentioned in my
short filler article.
The reason for anonymity regarding the particular institution is
mainly to protect the patient whose consent I was unable to get before
submitting the piece. However the particular hospital has been the subject
of a unique, mostly nurse-led project over the past three years from the
hospital where I work. At the time of writing the project has been going
through a critical and delicate phase. The hospital in question has been
subjected to many damning national and international reviews since the
collapse of the country's previous totalitarian regieme and our policy
has been to try to work with the people on the ground rather than pointing
our righteous fingers and adding to the obvious and warranted cocophany of
condemnation. This is another reason why the place has not been named.
It is however highly likely that we will be publishing a more
detailed brief in the psychiatric literature during the coming year and it
is hoped that this will further help to publicise the nature of the
problems alluded to by Dr Firestone.
On a happier note, I happened to be making my third return visit to
the hospital in question the weekend the BMJ piece was published and I
found the man in fairly good condition despite some weight loss. I had the
photos with me and was almost as happy as he was to be able to deliver
them in person while he was still alive.
This moving story raises some questions about the ethical stance of
the writer, and of your journal. Not so long ago a Greek mental health
institution was jolted into change, by the spotlight of European, and
especially British, attention. If there are grounds for concealing the
identity of the hospital in this instance, they should be explained.
Re: Eastern European Psychiatry
It is heartening to get a response such as Dr Firestone's and to see
that there is an interest in the underlying issues regarding psychiatric
services and practices in countries such as those in Eastern Europe,
disadvantaged by economic, historical, political, or ideological
misfortune. Indeed, while psychiatric practices in our own 'developed'
nations may not always be ideal, it is difficult to accurately convey the
extent of deprivation existing in places such as that mentioned in my
short filler article.
The reason for anonymity regarding the particular institution is
mainly to protect the patient whose consent I was unable to get before
submitting the piece. However the particular hospital has been the subject
of a unique, mostly nurse-led project over the past three years from the
hospital where I work. At the time of writing the project has been going
through a critical and delicate phase. The hospital in question has been
subjected to many damning national and international reviews since the
collapse of the country's previous totalitarian regieme and our policy
has been to try to work with the people on the ground rather than pointing
our righteous fingers and adding to the obvious and warranted cocophany of
condemnation. This is another reason why the place has not been named.
It is however highly likely that we will be publishing a more
detailed brief in the psychiatric literature during the coming year and it
is hoped that this will further help to publicise the nature of the
problems alluded to by Dr Firestone.
On a happier note, I happened to be making my third return visit to
the hospital in question the weekend the BMJ piece was published and I
found the man in fairly good condition despite some weight loss. I had the
photos with me and was almost as happy as he was to be able to deliver
them in person while he was still alive.
Competing interests: No competing interests