[World Health Organization places psychiatry high on the agenda, also consequences for the Netherlands].

In October 2001 the World Health Organization (WHO) devoted its yearly World Health Report to psychiatry under the title 'Mental health: new understanding, new hope'. Psychiatric disorders have a high prevalence and an enormous impact. There is a great need for medical care, rehabilitation and support from family and community. Effective treatments have become available for most disorders. Recommendations for the Netherlands are: to increase care in the community, to better educate the public, to improve national policies, programmes and legislation, to further develop human resources (currently an enormous problem, hindering provision of minimal care for chronically hospitalised patients) and to link mental health more effectively with other sectors in the community (to overcome the vast numbers of people on disability benefit because of psychiatric disorders).