France

QualityRights France

The Ministry of Health of France is supporting the development of the WHO QualityRights Initiative in France, through several actions:

  • The QualityRights initiative is a priority axis in France’s roadmap for mental health and psychiatry, defined by theHealth Minister, Ms Agnès Buzyn, soon after her appointment
  • The initiative is referred to in the instruction relating to territorial mental health projects in France, as priority number 5, entitled “Respect and promotion of the rights of persons with mental health conditions, strengthening their power to decide and act and tackling stigma of
    mental health conditions”
  • As part of its Terms of Reference for the period 2018-2022, the WHO Collaborating Centre, Lille (WHOCC Lille), France, has as one of its key tasks to “support and deepen the WHO QualityRights initiative in France and in French-speaking countries”.
  • The Ministry of Health has also set up a multi-annual agreement with WHOCC Lille to support the different actions to develop and strengthen the QualityRights initiative in France and French speaking countries

Achievements to date :

QualityRights Assessments

  • To date (December 2023), France has conducted 20 QualityRights assessments in 16 institutions, resulting in 37 assessment reports for 44 visited units. The following types of units were visited :
    • 30 inpatient units
    • 13 ambulatory care units
    • 1 mobile team
  • France has a national pool of over 200 trained QualityRights « observers », or assessment team members, of which
    • 22 % are persons with lived experience (mental health care users, ex-users and/or peer-support workers)
    • 11 % are family carers
    • 10 % are psychiatrists
    • 57 % are mental health professionals (nurses, psychologists, occupational therapists, social workers, researchers, management team members, lawyers, community mental health workers, public health professionnals, etc…)

QualityRights Training

  • QualityRights training module “Strategies to end seclusions and restraints” was adapted to French mental health care context. One test-training and two training sessions have been held, training a total of 30 mental health professionals
  • The WHO CC Lille coordinated the translation of the QualityRights e-training platform.

Research

  • The WHO CC Lille has received funding for a 3-year pilot projet to develop a regional roll-out strategy of the QualityRights program in northern France. If the projet is found to be effective, the funding becomes permanent. The aim is for all regions of France to deploy the QualityRights program with similar roll-out strategies, supported by national coordination of the program.
  • EQUAR Study : A four-year research grant has been given for a study on QualityRights assessments in France. The research will include an effectiveness study based on multiple indicators (percieved quality of care by health care users, quality of life at work of healthcare workers, mean length of hospital stay, frequency of the use of isolation and restraints, , amongst others). A qualitative implementation study and economic impact assessment will also be conducted

International

  • Three QualityRights assessments were conducted in Bouaké, Côte d’Ivoire in 2023. The project was co-constructed with local and national stakeholders. Nineteen local stakeholders were trained in QualityRights values and assessment methodology by WHO CC Lille. The QualityRights assessments were conducted at Bouaké Psychiatric Hospital, Sainte-Camille de Lellis Association, which takes in people living with psychosocial, intellectual or cognitive disabilities, and Brobo Prayer Camp.
  • The WHO CC Lille participated in WHO-Euro trainings on QualityRights programme and assesments in Turkey, Estonia and Lithuania.

Mentions and Publications

Some next steps (2024-2026)

  • Conduct 30 assessments in France using the WHO QualityRights Toolkit
  • Deploy QualityRights training nationnally
  • Develop QualityRights communication tools : videos, brochures, etc.
  • Implement QualityRights training on strategies to end seclusion and restraints in Côte d’Ivoire

QualityRights resources available in French

WHO QualityRights Initiative Flyer

WHO QualityRights e-training on mental health, recovery and community inclusion

WHO QualityRights package of 14 core and specialized training tools and guidance document

WHO QualityRights Assessment Toolkit

WHO QualityRights tool for transforming services and promoting human rights.

QualityRights Service Assessment Reports

Videos

Useful links

Centre collaborateur de l’OMS pour la recherche et la formation en santé mentale (CCOMS)