The Basel University Psychiatric Clinics (UPK) employ more than 1,200 members of staff and are among the leading psychiatric clinics in Switzerland. We belong to the public health system of the Canton of Basel-Stadt and are accordingly responsible for providing high-quality, needs-based psychiatric/psychotherapeutic care for adults, children and adolescents.

A high degree of patient satisfaction
The UPK have 300 beds for patients in four specialised clinics: the Clinic for Adults (UPKE), the Clinic for Children and Adolescents (UPKKJ), the Clinic for Forensics (UPKF) and the Private Clinic (UPKP). Our patients have for years been giving us the highest ratings, as is proven by the satisfaction survey in adult psychiatry (ANQ) that is conducted annually on a national basis.

Leading in diagnostics, therapy, care and research
Thanks to our being in a network with the University of Basel, the UPK in Basel are situated at the cutting edge of medical knowledge, and are themselves developing new treatment methods. We offer a high-quality range of diagnostics, treatment and care for those in our inpatient, day-care and outpatient areas, and for those whom we visit in their home environment. Numerous internationally renowned scientists are active at the UPK, conducting research into areas such as addiction, children and adolescents, psychosis, psychedelic-assisted therapy, depression, resilience, chronobiology, long Covid and the use of mobile phones.

The UPK support not just young academics, but also young staff members in the nursing, medical and commercial fields. Over 100 young people are currently training with us.

A clinic with open doors, for many years now
We are an open clinic, and work according to the “open-door” concept, for which our Clinic for Adults has also been awarded the “Innovation Qualité” prize that is given to projects that advance the quality of the Swiss healthcare system. It was our “open-door” concept ten years ago that convinced the well-known resilience researcher Prof. Undine Lang to leave her position at the Charité in Berlin and come to the UPK in Basel, where she is now our Clinic Director.

We offer answers to changing needs
With our Crisis Intervention Centre (KIS) and our Addiction Outpatient Centre (SAM), we now also have competence centres for crisis and addiction treatment on the UPK campus. 

In November 2024, we have also opened the new Early Intervention Day Clinic (EIDC). The EIDC is a special contact point for adolescents and young adults aged between 15 and 25. The treatment concept is primarily aimed at young people with affective disorders (depression, fear), emotional regulation disorders, the onset of psychotic disorders and disorders awaiting diagnosis.

The UPK have also extended their partially inpatient parent and child service (PCS). This service is aimed at families with children aged between four and ten where mental strain plays a central role in the lives of both the parents and children. Treating parents and children in parallel aims to reduce interaction problems and family stress in the long term and thus improve the overall mental health of family members.

Here – as at all our other locations – many highly motivated specialists will be working for our patients every day. Around the clock.

Last but not least, the UPK Basel are constantly rethinking their role: with a focus on achieving optimal patient care, we are forging ahead with comprehensive planning for our site and with digitisation. We are thereby taking account of the structural changes that are currently taking place in psychiatric treatment.

Michael Rolaz, CEO