1. Mental Health Matters:
What are the policy priorities for
the Belgian Presidency and the
next European Commission?
Wednesday 6 March 2024
Silversquare Europe, Brussels
4. Global overview
• According to the WHO, “mental disorders are the leading
contributor to the global burden of years lived with disability”.
• BMJ article: “All countries have failed to achieve universal health
coverage for mental disorders, owing to barriers related to
budget and stigma”.
• In 2019, 970 million people globally were living with a mental
disorder, with anxiety and depression the most common. Since
then, COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown measures have taken a
significant toll.
5. USA China Germany Japan UK
Index
overall
ranking
31 50 17 17 16
Index
happiness
ranking
18 68 16 51 14
Overall
govt
spending
on MH
$143 billion
in 2020
0.99 billion
Yuan in
2018
€474 billion
in 2021
£16.81
billion
planned in
2023/24
World
Bank
income
level
High Upper
middle
High High High
Suicide
rate per
100,000
14.5 in
2021
5.25 in 2021 11.16 in
2021
16.8 in 2021 10.7 in
2021
6. Three objectives for the project
• Synthesize evidence around major depressive disorder,
schizophrenia, and PTSD from five countries
• Compare countries’ approach to acute mental health
through the lens of these three diagnoses
• Conclude with bold, actionable policy recommendations
rooted in the evidence we have gathered
7. European context
• Prior to COVID-19, 1 in 6 people in the EU suffered from a
mental health condition
• Mental ill health is estimated to cost Member States over 4% of
GDP per year
• Indirect costs to the labour market total €240 billion annually
• 1 in 2 felt anxious or depressed in the 12 months to June 2023
9. EU initiatives and opportunities
• Commission’s plan for comprehensive approach to mental
health, published June 2023
• 10 priorities, 20 initiatives
• Elections in June 2024
• Focus on workplace wellbeing, youth mental health, and
underserved groups including migrants, refugees, and victims of
crime
10. Three objectives for this session
1. Explore the policy
opportunities over the next
six months during the
Belgian Presidency of the
Council of the European
Union.
2. Discuss the long-term policy
goals of the EU during the
2024-29 European
Parliament and Commission.
3. Produce recommendations
for the Belgian Presidency
and European Commission to
consider in their policy
ambitions on mental health.
17. • What social and cultural factors might affect a patient’s journey from seeking help,
diagnosis, treatment, and management?
• What factors within the health service might affect this journey?
• What could other countries learn from your health system in how they tackle acute long-
term mental ill health?
• What would you change about the system of mental health diagnosis and treatment in
your country; and who could help to make this change?
• What is one thing that policymakers need to understand about treating acute mental ill
health, particularly when treatment and management is required long-term?
19. Upcoming events
Addressing the
global challenges of
acute mental ill
health
Online webinar
Summer 2024
Details tbc
Global launch of the
Healthy Ageing and
Prevention Index 2nd
wave – alongside the
77th World Health
Assembly in Geneva
Geneva, Switzerland
Tuesday 28 May
Mental health
roundtable –
alongside 77th World
Health Assembly
Geneva, Switzerland
Tuesday 28 May
