Turnaround in psychiatry: Gmünd will lose inpatient therapy places in 2026!

Turnaround in psychiatry: Gmünd will lose inpatient therapy places in 2026!

In 2026, the residents of Schwäbisch Gmünd must be prepared for a significant change in psychiatric care. The Center for Psychiatry (ZfP) at the Schloss Winnenden Hospital is planning to close the inpatient departments in the Haus der Gesundheit. This means that from the second quarter of 2026 there will no longer be inpatient psychotherapy in Schwäbisch Gmünd. Patients will then be forced to travel to the surrounding towns of Ellwangen or Winnenden, such as Gmünder Tagespost reported.

There are currently 44 beds available for inpatient treatment in Schwäbisch Gmünd, which are looked after by around 35 nursing staff. The restructuring of the psychiatric support system is being pushed forward against the background of a high need for psychiatric care and a shortage of skilled workers in the medical field. Michiko Pubanz, spokeswoman for the ZfP, emphasizes that the need for psychiatric care remains high, but its requirements are changing.

Changed supply offers

In order to meet the new challenges, the offering in Schwäbisch Gmünd will be adjusted accordingly. While inpatient treatment is no longer available, the day clinic for addicts is being expanded. Patients will come to therapy in the morning and go home in the evening. In addition, station-equivalent treatment (STäB) will be introduced, with an increase of ten places for outpatient therapy. In addition, the creation of a geriatric psychiatric focus is being planned.

As the DGPPN explains, the psychiatric support system in Germany urgently requires investments in innovative care models. The pressure on service providers is increasing because one in four people in Germany suffers from a mental illness within a year. The most common diagnoses are anxiety disorders, depression and alcohol and medication addictions.

The need to improve mental health care in Germany is also underpinned by the fact that only one in five people with a psychiatric diagnosis receives professional treatment. The waiting times for psychotherapy places are often long and can last weeks to months depending on the region.

Conclusion and outlook

The restructuring of psychiatric care in Schwäbisch Gmünd reflects that it is time to question and improve the existing systems. Despite the closure of the inpatient departments, the need for psychiatric care remains high. It is important to find long-term solutions to ensure the quality of care, especially for people with chronic illnesses and for those affected who have few resources of their own.