Coercion in psychiatry rises in Faroe Islands with 92 reported instances in 2023

The use of coercion in psychiatry has become increasingly common in the Faroe Islands, with staff at the Psychiatric Department reporting 92 instances of coercion in 2023 alone, according to annual reports from the Faroese Complaints Board.

This figure includes coercive admissions, restraints, and enforced medication. Furthermore, there has been an increase in coercive admissions overall.

Súsanna Olsen, chairwoman of the mental health organization Sinnisbati, suggests that one reason for this trend might be premature discharges of patients.

Conversely, Tormóður Stórá, the chief physician at the Psychiatric Department of the National Hospital, does not see premature discharges as a significant issue. He has no clear explanation for the rising number of coercive admissions.

Both Olsen and Stórá discussed these matters during a segment earlier this week. Comprehensive statistics on coercive admissions and related practices in psychiatry, covering the years from 2009 to 2023, are expected to be released later today on our website.