The University Psychiatric Clinics (UPK) Basel, with around 1,200 employees, are among the leading psychiatric clinics in Switzerland. As part of the public healthcare system of Basel-Stadt, we are responsible for providing high-quality, needs-based psychiatric and psychotherapeutic care for adults, children, and adolescents. For more than ten years, UPK has been a psychiatric clinic with open doors – and plays a pioneering role across Switzerland.

Excellence
In 2024, the Handelszeitung recognized us as the top psychiatric clinic among 280 hospitals in the German-speaking part of Switzerland. Additionally, we are proud to be one of the highest rated EFQM-certified hospitals, having earned a five-star rating.

A high degree of patient satisfaction
THE UPK have more than 300 beds and numerous day clinic and outpatient places in four specialized clinics – Clinic for Adults (UPKE), Clinic for Children and Adolescents (UPKKJ), Forensic Clinic (UPKF), and Private Clinic (UPKP). For years, our treatments have received top ratings from our patients, as shown 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 its affiliation with the University of Basel, UPK Basel stays at the forefront of medical knowledge and actively develops new treatment methods. We offer a high-quality range of diagnostics, treatment, and care in inpatient, day clinic, outpatient, and outreach settings. Numerous internationally renowned researchers work with us and conduct research on topics such as addiction, children and adolescents, psychosis, psychedelic-assisted therapy, depression, resilience, chronobiology, long covid, and mobile phone use.

In 2024, two researchers from UPK, PD Dr. Marc Schmid and PD Dr. Serge Brand, received the prestigious Inger Salling Prize for their work in the fields of child and adolescent psychiatric/psychotherapeutic care, as well as biological psychiatry, sleep research, military psychiatry, and sports psychology. The Inger Salling Prize, awarded every two years, had previously honored Prof. Christian Huber in 2022 for his research and promotion of the "open-door" concept, and PD Dr. Felix Müller in 2020 for his work on substance-assisted therapy (LSD, etc.).

However, UPK supports not only academic talent but also up-and-coming professionals in nursing, medicine, and administration: nearly 100 young people are currently in 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

In November 2024, the UPK opened the new Early Intervention Day Clinic (FIT). The FIT serves as a contact point specifically for adolescents and young adults aged 15 to 25. The treatment concept is primarily aimed at young people with affective disorders (depression, anxiety), emotion regulation disorders, early-stage psychotic disorders, and diagnostically unclear disorder patterns.

The UPK have also expanded their partial inpatient parent-child program (ELKI): This is designed for families with children aged four to ten, where psychological stress plays a central role for both the parents and the children. The simultaneous treatment of parents and children aims to sustainably reduce interaction problems and family stress and thus improve the mental health of the family members.

With the Crisis Intervention Unit (KIS) and the Addiction Outpatient Clinic (SAM), the UPK operate additional specialized centers for crisis and addiction treatment on their own campus.

Last but not least, UPK Basel is constantly continuously evolving: With a focus on optimal patient care, we are advancing comprehensive site planning and digitalization, thereby addressing the structural changes in psychiatric treatment.

Michael Rolaz, CEO

Detailed information can be found in the press release (in German) and the 2024 financial report. (in German)