Not so long ago two Lithuanian businesswomen were caught organizing “training sessions” during which they would take heads of companies to interact with psychiatric patients. Course cost around 7.700 Eur, and participants of the course were not informed that they are going to psychiatric hospital in order to “get them out of their comfort zone” and enable them to undergo “very emotionally charged” experiences. During the sessions, the trainees would pose as students of the Vilnius University and speak to patients without first obtaining their consent, or informing their families or the management of the Vilnius City Mental Health Center. The course has been running from 2015. It appears that the visits took place with the knowledge of Alvydas Navickas, head of the Psychiatry Clinic of the Faculty of Medicine (Vilnius University) and current Chair of the Lithuanian Psychiatric Association. It is especially shocking that 7 of the patients involved in such trainings were from acute wards, where patients are even more vulnerable.
The publication in the media was made on May 14. After the publication some experts immediately pointed at the violations of the UN CRPD article 8, 14, 16 and 22. Director of the hospital, Martynas Marcinkevicius, started internal inquiry, followed by the Association of the Young Psychiatrists. However, Lithuanian Psychiatry Association accoridng to our members in Lithuania, made no statement yet, and Lithuanian Disability groups seem to be silent. Prof.Dainius Puras left Lithuanian Psychiatry Association after he pointed at the violations of the patients rights. In the interview he mentions that a lot of colleagues support him in private but not in public. Among comments in the media around this case there are some that say that discussion on scandal can “make harm to patient’s health” and “patients themselves can defend themselves”.
We learned from our members in Lithuania that journalist Liepa Zelniene published recently an update that A. Navickas is back to work at the Vilnius University after his sickness leave. (He took a sick leave after he was found guilty by Vilnius Municipality commission and Parliamentary commission.)
Very unexpectedly, Academic Ethics committee of the Vilnius University found him not breaching any rule. Apparently the University found trainings without obtaining informed consent of participants ethical.
Hospital where the incident happened finished the internal examination but is not announcing the results waiting for the conclusions of the Vilnius University.
Now VU says that they are looking how to give A. Navickas disciplinary penalty.
Prosecutor’s office started investigation on overindulgence.
Ministeries of health as well as education are watching. Equal opportunities started their investigation as well. But other NGOs are silent, including Lithuanian Disability forum (chair is a lawyer D. Juodkaite), GIEDRA – chair G. Sadzevicius (a lawyer), Family NGO (LPSŽGB) – chair A’ Nikzentaitis – social worker.
ENUSP wrote to the Minister of Health of the Republic of Lithuania, asking for more publicity, transparency and a proper assessment on behalf of the Ministry of Health of Lithuania, condemning this “training course” as a grave violation of patients’ rights. The letter is available here. ENUSP will continue to monitor the case.
