In 1882, the Grand Council of Basel decided that the Bürgerspital (Citizens’ Hospital) and the Department of Health should build a new “insane asylum” on a “peaceful meadow” outside the city. This gave rise to the name “Friedmatt Asylum”.
The “Friedmatt” opened in 1886 with 214 beds.
In 1899, the Basel government changed the name from “Friedmatt Asylum” to “Friedmatt Cantonal Hospital and Nursing Home”.
1950s
In 1953, so-called neuroleptics were introduced, making it possible to treat states of anxiety and tension.
In 1954, the walls surrounding the site were demolished to counteract the isolation of people with mental illnesses.
Psychotropic medications were introduced in 1956, making it possible to treat depression more effectively.
1960s
In the 1960s, the courtyards of the secure wards were replaced by a publicly accessible park featuring animals from the zoological garden. The new name, Psychiatric University Clinics (PUK), emphasised the institution’s focus on research and academic medicine.
Basel developed into an international centre for depression research. Psychopharmacology also made significant advances, partly due to the geographical proximity of the pharmaceutical industry and the pioneering development of new antidepressants. Psychiatry increasingly focused on talking therapies and occupational therapies.
1990s
The number of beds was reduced. At the same time, however, psychiatric reform led to an increase in staffing, ensuring that patients could continue to receive consistent treatment and care.
The UPK Basel (then known as the PUK) played a leading role in the treatment of addiction disorders, the development of methadone treatment and heroin-assisted treatment.
In 1997, the former PUK Basel opened its first forensic unit.
2000s
As a first step, on 1 January 2005, the University Clinic of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (KJUP) and the Psychiatric University Clinic (PUK) were brought together organisationally under the umbrella of the newly established University Psychiatric Clinics (UPK). This created a university-based centre of expertise in psychiatry for children, adolescents and adults. As part of this reorganisation, the KJUP was also renamed. From then on, it was known as the Clinic of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (KJPK).
In 2010, the University Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic, which had opened in 1923 as an outpatient facility in the city centre, was merged with the UPK Basel.
In 2012, the legal structure of the UPK Basel was changed to that of an independent public-law institution. The UPK Basel, however, remained owned by the Canton of Basel-Stadt.
In 2013, the UPK Basel introduced its open-door concept, known as the “open-door policy”, and discontinued the use of coercive measures.
In 2018, the names of the clinics within the University Psychiatric Clinics were simplified and new abbreviations were introduced. They are now known as the Clinic for Adults (UPKE), the Clinic for Children and Adolescents (UPKKJ), the Clinic for Forensic Psychiatry (UPKF) and the Private Clinic (UPKP).
In 2019, the new UPK Clinic for Children and Adolescents on Wilhelm Klein-Strasse opened after 16 months of construction. The new building houses all inpatient services of the UPKKJ. All four UPK Basel clinics are therefore now located on the UPK campus.
