FPC Antwerp and FPC Ghent: Treatment and operational challenges
FPC Ghent and FPC Antwerp opened their doors in November 2014 and August 2017, respectively. These centers are the first high-security forensic psychiatric centers in Flanders. Both centers are still relatively “young” and face a number of important challenges. These are related to the characteristics of the patients admitted and the outflow out of the FPCs, related to the stability in the treatment teams and internal security, and related to the internal legal status. Making progress on these issues is important in order to continuously grow in providing highly qualitative treatment and in providing a safe environment, both for patients and staff. Before elaborating on these challenges, a description is given of the patients who are treated in the FPC’s and of the situation of the FPC’s in the broader healthcare landscape. The theoretical basis and practical elaboration of treatment in both centers is also explained.