Scaling Up Mental Health Services within the Primary Health Care Approach

Mental health is integral to strong primary health care — and countries across the Region are asking for practical guidance on implementation. Building on the 2025 WHO policy paper Scaling up mental health services within the primary health care approach: Lessons from the WHO European Region, this event shifted the discussion from what needs to happen to how we can make it happen. Held on 25–26 February 2026, this deep-dive mini-conference brought together leaders, practitioners, and innovators from across the WHO European Region to explore how to scale up mental health services within the primary health care approach. Organised together with WONCA, the mini-conference covered: ▪️ Redesigning service delivery models and strengthening mental health within PHC ▪️ The role of social determinants and contemporary societal challenges across the life course ▪️ Improving accessibility of community-based mental health services ▪️ Strategies for early identification of mental health needs ▪️ Developing essential mental health competencies in the PHC workforce ▪️ Sustainable financing solutions for mental health in PHC ▪️ The growing potential of digital tools and AI Drawing on diverse country experiences, the mini-conference aimed to inspire collaboration and accelerate progress in mental health initiatives across the Region. ----- This recording captures the second event in our new series of topic-specific mini-conferences — an opportunity to come together, learn from each other, and turn insights into action.