Congress of the European Psychiatric Association in Warsaw

Dear Colleagues,
 
The 27th European Congress of Psychiatry, organised by the largest international association of psychiatrists in Europe, will take place between 6 and 9 April 2019 in Warsaw, the capital and largest city of Poland, a significant cultural, political and economic hub, where the historical old town has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the stock exchange ranks first among those of Central and Eastern Europe.
 
You will be truly fascinated by the history and atmosphere of Warsaw, which combines the influences of Western and Eastern Europe, and where tradition meets modernity. We will also have a nice opportunity to meet many colleagues from neighbouring countries such as Russia, Belarus, Ukraine and the Baltic countries.
 
The motto of the congress will be “Psychiatry in Transition: Towards New Models, Goals and Challenges”.
Psychiatry is facing a generative transition involving the organisation of mental health services, traditional approaches to diagnosis, models of care, and research paradigms. The implementation of community-based mental health systems in many countries, the increasing emphasis on person-centred research and care, the availability of scientific evidence substantiating the bio-psycho-social model, the clinical relevance of the diachronic perspective, and the effectiveness of e-mental health interventions represent meaningful examples of the ongoing transition.
 
Transition also involves the need to face challenges: lack of resources; inadequate personnel training for the implementation of new models and paradigms; the crisis of traditional concepts and organisation of families and communities; transcultural issues related to mass displacement; problematic internet use; and poor investments in research, provide good examples of the most challenging aspects of the present transition.
 
We feel confident that the EPA 2019 congress will help all of us to adopt new models and to meet the challenges of new research findings for the benefit of our patients. A special focus of the congress will be the update of Evidence-based medicine in psychopharmacology, implementation of community-based mental health systems, e-mental health applications, and prevention programmes.
 
We know that this congress will continue with the best traditions of the EPA, and will represent for all participants an unforgettable personal and professional experience. We therefore look forward to welcoming you to Warsaw, one of Europe’s most dynamic metropolitan cities.