Bill to guarantee mental health care and rights in Spain

Automatic summary, not yet reviewed

1. The bill would guarantee the right to mental health protection and universal access to mental health services, with no discrimination based on origin, sex, age or other personal or social circumstances.
2. It would strengthen patient autonomy: treatments would require free consent, advance directive documents would be binding, and people could grant a preventive power of attorney before a notary so someone else can decide if they become unable to.
3. It would set maximum waiting times for mental health services and minimum staffing ratios: at least 18 psychiatrists, 18 clinical psychologists and 23 mental health nurses per 100,000 residents, to be reached gradually over four years.
4. It would require a state suicide prevention protocol, including a free nationwide crisis phone line, a state suicide data registry, and specific training for health, education, emergency and media professionals.
5. It would push to eliminate mechanical restraint and other coercive practices, which would have to be recorded, and would restrict involuntary commitment to the cases set by an organic law, always with prior court authorization.
6. It would create new bodies: a State Mental Health Center, a Participation Council, and an Ombudsman for people with mental health problems in each autonomous community. It would also amend the occupational risk prevention law so employers protect their workers' mental health.

Who it affects

• People with mental health problems: They would have the right to comprehensive care, maximum waiting times and a say in their treatments.
• People with disabilities or at risk of poverty and social exclusion: They would receive specialized and priority care, with stronger protection against discrimination.
• Children and teenagers: They would have specific rights to information and participation, plus prevention programs in schools and health centers.
• Women with mental health problems: They would receive gender-sensitive care, protection from sexist violence and, if they wish, support for motherhood.
• Companies and workers: Employers would have to assess psychological and social risks in each job and promote the right to disconnect.

Words worth knowing

Contención mecánica (mechanical restraint)

Physically immobilizing a person, for example with straps, to prevent harm to themselves or others.

Documento de voluntades anticipadas (advance directive)

A document where a person states in writing which treatments they accept or refuse if they later cannot decide.

Iatrogenia (iatrogenesis)

Harm or negative effect caused to a patient by a treatment or by medical care itself.

Prevención cuaternaria (quaternary prevention)

Avoiding harm from medical activity itself, such as unnecessary treatments or tests.

Consejo Interterritorial del Sistema Nacional de Salud

Body where the Spanish state and the autonomous regions agree on basic health care matters.

It summarizes the text as it was introduced. It is written by artificial intelligence and may contain mistakes: the official text is what counts. Read the official text · How we make summaries