An article published by 7sur7 highlights a clear increase in requests for first appointments in psychiatry within the Brussels-Capital Region. Several hospital departments indicate they can no longer accept new patients due to a lack of sufficient capacity. In particular, UVC Brugmann reports significant pressure on outpatient consultations, with a daily volume of requests that far exceeds treatment capabilities. This situation reflects a structural imbalance between supply and demand in mental health care, exacerbated by limited personnel resources and a fragmented organization of powers between different policy levels.
In addition to the current climate, this evolution raises questions about the planning, financing, and coordination of outpatient psychiatric care in Brussels. For outpatient psychiatry, the challenge is not limited to meeting growing demand, but also concerns the continuity of care, accessibility, and alignment with primary care and the hospital sector, within a coherent governance framework.
More information about the article can be found here.