Interview with DR. Pere Bonet, President of the Catalonia Mental Health Cluster

When two months ago the choice of DR. Pere Bonet as the new president of the Catalonia Mental Health Cluster, we review the actuality of the institution with him.

What is the context of mental health in our country?

From the care point of view, in Catalonia we can feel satisfied with the quality of the assistance and the results of this. There is a clearly community orientation, where the affected person is as close as possible to his home. Remember that only 0.21% of the Catalan population requires a hospital admission. The mental health system is powerful, accessible and with a wide range of resources, although we have territorial inequalities.

On April 3, the 2017 Strategic Plan for Mental Health and Addictions of Catalonia was presented. We also have a central mental health results that, in an example of transparency, provides results, prevalence, incidents of the population, and in line with what suggests WHO world mental health and WHO European Health and European Health. There is a government policy with an integral interdepartmental plan, which has the participation of the different councils, the healthcare sector, users and their families. Frankly, a situation that allows us to improve efficiently and effectively. All this, generates better attention to affected people and their families, and making a more cohesive and supportive country

How is this new stage presented by DR. Pere Bonet, elected new president of the Catalonia mental health cluster?

It is a stimulating stage, with a cohesive cluster. I would like to take advantage of the previous Board of Directors, chaired by the DR. Orrit, for the work done. The activity of the last Board of Directors allows us to have the ability to make it grow even more, especially in its reason for being, to provide knowledge to adopt the necessary strategies and cooperate in innovation, research, teaching and training with institutions. Only a few weeks ago I am president and I already detect a clear will to participate and collaborate by the different entities that make up the cluster.

What are the cluster challenges over the next few years?

Be able to explore new projects and launch the different research, project and innovation commissions, understanding innovation in different fields: management, assistance, training and teaching.

Another point is the internationalization of the cluster. We are the only mental health cluster, that we have knowledge, the world and is an opportunity to lead and disseminate this way of working.

The Catalonia mental health cluster is participating in several projects. Tell us the road map for this year 2017

There are several projects that have already launched the previous year and that have started walking. Let's remember: the first related to metabolic syndrome in adolescents and whose reference population is the adolescents of Sant Boi; the second linked to autism and leading the Orienta Foundation, and the third related to physical exercise as a prevention and resilience tool.

On the other hand, in these months we have already presented ourselves to an international interregional project and we work on a common project with Ticsalut of the Generalitat of Catalonia. We have more in study and structuring phase: first psychotic episodes, coordinate common peris projects (subsidized by the Department of Health), and start contacts for internationalization.

To these we would have to add the projects that the different commissions may raise. Having a consolidated cluster allows us to develop and identify joint work projects.

The cluster works through the different commissions. What is the role of each of them?

The Communication Commission has already begun in 2016 and facilitates internal and external communication. The Innovation Commission, led by the Polytechnic University of Catalonia and appointment, allows us to explore areas where we can identify lines of work. The Project Commission, led by the Pere Mata Institute, must help structure the chosen projects. The Institutional Commission, led by the City of Sant Boi and the Regional Council, must be related to other administrations.

Finally, a training and teaching commission will have to be established to start projects in this field. And as I said before, we consider the establishment of the Internationalization Commission.

What can the Catalonia mental health cluster contribute to those institutions and companies that want to associate?

The reason for being of the cluster must provide the search for synergies for collaboration projects between entities (suppliers, technology companies, universities, etc.), optimize the search for economic resources and strengthen the strategies of each of the entities. Competitive and collaborative work is key to advancing in participatory development: competing, growing and developing innovation is an important intangible.

I would like to highlight the meaning that the cluster brings to the more than 50 entities that integrate it. Establishing a trust relationship between them is a key point. You have to learn more and seek actions and projects that help the mental health cluster to develop their potential, not only in the number of entities but also in the quality and effectiveness of their projects. We have work and great responsibility to bring it to fruition.

I want to take advantage to thank the support that, in this regard, gives us action and that allows us to align our strategy with that of the other Catalonia clusters. It has also allowed us to have the European accreditation of 'Bronze Label', a level that proves quality and identifies us as a trust entity.

Mental illness is still stigmatized. How do you fight this fact?

Within the Comprehensive Interdepartmental Plan for Mental Health and Addictions there is a specific line of work in this area. The program has been chosen openly, where affected people, their families and service providing entities work together. It is an evaluation program that allows you to develop various actions: one of them, the fight towards stigmatization in the media and is led by active groups of affected people. Active specific actions are also carried out in the same media.

Sant Boi has become a European reference in the field of mental health. What is the projection for this city?

To develop their vital project, people must have a great ability to adapt. This is what the various entities dedicated to mental health located in Sant Boi have done. And they have achieved it leading the changes and advanceing to the needs of people. Sant Boi has gone from a stigmatized experience to an innovative reality, with ethics and respect for people. The cluster is a product of this capacity for adaptation and leadership of the institutions and administrations of Sant Boi.

What is the importance of the Sant Boi City Council in the development of the Catalonia mental health cluster?

The Sant Boi City Council was from the first moment supporting the initiative of the different entities of the municipality: Fundación Orienta, Benito Menni and San Juan de Dios Sanitary Park. He did it with institutional support, assuming the initiative and putting the necessary material and structural means. Having a headquarters like Palau Marianao gives us great possibilities.