About us

About BEGAP

Bernese Society for Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy – tasks, co-presidency and statutes.

Who we are

Interest group of specialist senior staff

The Bernese Society for Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (BEGAP) is an interest group of the medical and interdisciplinary senior staff of public and private old-age psychiatry institutions in the Canton of Bern, together with the practitioners in private practice who hold the subspecialty in old-age psychiatry and psychotherapy.

Association foundations

Statutes / rules of procedure

Full text of the BEGAP statutes – purpose, membership, bodies and affiliations.

§ 1Name

The Bernese Society for Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy BEGAP is an interest group of the medical – and where applicable interdisciplinary – senior staff of public and private old-age psychiatry institutions in the Canton of Bern, as well as the subspecialty holders in private practice.

§ 2Aim and purpose

BEGAP sets itself the task of:

  • representing the interests of old-age psychiatry, its patients and their relatives and advocating for them vis-à-vis the authorities and the public;
  • fostering the exchange of views among members, supporting them in their work and contributing to opinion-forming;
  • improving cooperation between the institutions, developing common positions and promoting collaboration;
  • taking a stance on current topics in old-age psychiatry;
  • advising the GSI on matters of old-age psychiatry and ensuring institutionalised contact with the GSI;
  • maintaining contact with other associations involved in old-age psychiatric care;
  • delivering postgraduate training in old-age psychiatry and psychotherapy in accordance with the requirements of the FMH training regulations.

§ 3Membership

Membership of the collegium is open to anyone who holds or is working towards the subspecialty in old-age psychiatry and psychotherapy, as well as to people from other disciplines of an old-age psychiatry institution that makes a substantial contribution to psychiatric care in the Canton of Bern.

§ 4Bodies

4.1  BEGAP plenary meeting

The plenary meeting is convened by the board at least four times a year. Consensus is sought in deliberations and decisions; where necessary, majority and minority motions or resolutions may arise. Voting and elections are held openly by absolute majority. The levying of a membership fee is possible.

Next meeting

17 August 2026, in person in Thun – including intervision.

4.2  Board

Current co-presidency

Dr Tilo Stauch  Co-PresidentDr Thomas Wirth  Co-President

Composition

  • chairperson
  • deputy chairperson
  • further members may be elected by the plenary meeting

Term of office

The term of office is generally two years and coincides with the calendar year. Elections or confirmations take place every two years. A majority of the members (absolute majority) may also request new elections on an extraordinary basis.

Tasks

  • setting priorities for the work of BEGAP
  • triage of incoming business
  • preparing business for the plenary meeting
  • follow-up of business
  • representing BEGAP externally
  • ensuring contact with relevant organisations

Powers

  • For business that cannot be deferred to the next ordinary plenary meeting, the board acts on its own authority where the matter is of minor importance; where it is of fundamental importance, it convenes an extraordinary plenary meeting.
  • Engaging experts to handle individual matters.

§ 5Affiliations

Regular relationships exist in particular with the following authorities and associations:

Directorate of Health, Social Affairs and Integration of the Canton of Bern (GSI)

Swiss Society for Old Age Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (SGAP)

Swiss Society for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (SGPP)

Bernese Society for Psychiatry and Psychotherapy (BGPP)

Note: the former Health and Welfare Directorate (GEF) is today called the Directorate of Health, Social Affairs and Integration (GSI). A formal revision of the statutes is planned.