Volunteer patient advocates wanted
The City of Chemnitz is looking for two honorary patient advocates for the following psychiatric facilities in the city from 1 April 2022 in accordance with the Saxon Act on Assistance and Accommodation for Mental Illness (§ 4):
- Psychiatric clinic of Klinikum Chemnitz gGmbH
- Socio-therapeutic residential centre Altendorf, Am Heim 15
- Socio-therapeutic residential centre, Am Karbel 61
- Socio-therapeutic residential centre of VIP Chemnitz e.V., Zschopauer Straße 322
The patient advocates should examine patients' wishes and complaints, mediate between patients and facility staff, regularly visit the relevant facilities in the city to identify any deficiencies in care and monitor them accordingly. Applicants should be interested in the concerns of mentally ill people and have experience in caring for this group of people.
Patient advocates are appointed for a maximum of five years. They receive financial compensation in accordance with the statutes of the City of Chemnitz on the compensation of city council members and other honorary citizens (§ 4) dated 1 August 1994.
Interested parties should send their applications to: City of Chemnitz, Department 1, 09106 Chemnitz
Application deadline is 1 October 2021.
Inquiries from interested parties are possible under 0371 488 5373.
Explanation
Patient advocates can be contacted by patients who are staying in inpatient facilities on a short-term (in the psychiatric clinic) or long-term (in the socio-therapeutic residential centres) basis. Their complaints should be supported because the possibility of self-representation is often limited due to illness.
The controlling, supportive and protective role of the patient advocate is a kind of confidence-building measure. It should be accepted by both patients and professionals working in psychiatry (doctors, nurses, psychologists, occupational therapists, etc.). Such a democratic understanding of psychiatric practice does not just fall into society's lap. It requires the personal commitment of people who want the community to function democratically.
Patient advocates are not alone in Chemnitz. They receive support from the Psychosocial Working Group, in which all psychiatric facilities in the city of Chemnitz are represented.
The Saxon Act on Assistance and Placement in Cases of Mental Illness (SächsPsychKG) describes the basic principles of psychiatric care, assistance for the mentally ill and the conditions for the use of coercion if this is the only way to avert danger to the patient or third parties. These are always delicate situations, as the inviolability of a person's freedom guaranteed in Article 2 of the Basic Law is restricted. The legislator has therefore provided safeguards to protect these restrictions from abuse. These include the patient advocates appointed by the mayors of the independent cities and districts.