Forced psychiatric admissions in Flanders surpassed 5,000 in 2024

More than 5,000 people were forcibly admitted to psychiatric institutions in Flanders in 2024. That is a sharp 6 per cent increase compared to the previous year, according to new figures from healthcare umbrella organisation Zorgnet-Icuro.

In total, 5,223 individuals were sectioned, an average of 14.3 per day. It is the steepest rise since the pandemic year of 2020. “Also for us, this increase is a shot in the dark”, said Margot Cloet, chair of Zorgnet-Icuro. “Over the years, however, we have seen a rise in aggression and drug use. Society is demanding firm action, and prosecutors may be responding to that.”

The number of admissions among minors remained relatively stable at 233, but has more than doubled compared to 2019. Zorgnet-Icuro attributes the overall rise mainly to adult cases.

”We call on the responsible ministers to provide the tools needed to ensure this law does not become a dead letter”

A new law, in effect since 1 January 2024, was meant to encourage voluntary alternatives such as 48-hour observation periods or conditional outpatient treatment. But implementation has been limited due to a lack of designated hospitals and staffing, the organisation says. “We are flying blind at the moment: there are no data available on the number of observations,” said Cloet. “We call on the responsible ministers to provide the tools needed to ensure this law does not become a dead letter.”

Health minister Frank Vandenbroucke called the rise “worrying” and stressed that the new legislation aims to promote voluntary and timely care. He also announced 23.9 million euros in funding to strengthen psychiatric crisis care, mobile crisis teams, and coordination with GPs, police and judicial authorities.

^{© Loic VENANCE / AFP}