The Ministry of Health and the BHC Signed an Agreement to Monitor and Improve Psychiatric Care

The Ministry of Health and the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee have signed a cooperation agreement aimed at better protecting the rights and care conditions of vulnerable individuals, the Ministry reported.

The document covers the care of children and patients in state psychiatric hospitals, with the goal of improving treatment conditions, patient treatment, and opportunities for social integration.

As part of the partnership, experts from the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee will conduct regular visits to medical facilities according to a schedule pre-approved by the Ministry of Health. During these inspections, they will monitor compliance with patient rights, the quality of care provided, and the conditions in which patients live and receive treatment.

Based on these observations, reports will be prepared with specific recommendations aimed at real improvements and sustainable changes within the system.

The Ministry emphasizes that this cooperation is part of the efforts to accelerate the reform of psychiatric care and the process of deinstitutionalizing childcare, while also relying on the expert capacity of the civil sector.