Department of psychiatry & psychology

Head of Department: Hejsková Markéta, MD

tel.: +420 973 212 496
e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Psychiatry

Focusing and activities of Psychiatric department lie in the:

• Investigation of applicants and individuals from general public over 18 years with mental health problems
• Determination of diagnosis and subsequent therapeutic solution (pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy) in collaboration with a psychologist
• Decision about hospitalization in individuals with selected mental problems, followed with out-patient care after discharge
• Cooperation with family members to ensure optimal basis of therapeutic regime
• Ordering in person or by phone at the above telephone number; no need of recommendation from a GP

Psychology

Following services are provided:

• Aero medical psychological examination of entire aviation personnel, selection and assessment of mental fitness in aviation personnel, drivers and other executors of highly responsible professions
• Traffic-psychological examination of motor vehicles drivers pursuant to § 87a of the Act No 411/2005 Coll.
• Clinical psychology, psychosomatics and psychotherapy
• The research, training, expertise and advisory activities and education in aviation and transportation Human Factors issues

Aviation psychology is a branch of applied psychology in aviation industry. Its purpose is to develop special methods of psychological selection of suitable candidates. It also develops special preventive training programmes for aviation and ground personnel. Is involved in the investigation and highlighting of the causes of aviation mishaps and suggests suitable systemic and ergonomic measures.

Traffic and transportation psychology is an applied psychological discipline, which is primarily related to the study of mental processes and behaviour of road users, both those who exercise them actively (drivers, crews of traction vehicles, aeroplanes, vessels and others) and passengers, pedestrians etc.

Clinical psychology is a special branch of psychology with application in clinical practice. Clinical psychological diagnostics evaluates mental functions, states, processes and properties. It applies also in the selection and assessment of mental competence in various exposed and challenging professions, such as in armed forces.

Psychosomatics studies relationships between physical illness and psychological factors; an important psychological factor for the development of psychosomatic diseases in stress and the lifestyle.

Psychotherapy is a set of special psychological techniques and methods, used for the prevention and treatment of mental diseases and disorders. It is also applied in relatively healthy people as a preventive means of coping with the effects of stress and fatigue and it proved effective in affection of behavioural disorders and problem solving of disturbed interpersonal relationships.

Crisis intervention is an appropriate emergency psychological care aimed at assisting individuals in a crisis situation to restore equilibrium to their bio psychosocial functioning. The priority of crisis intervention and counselling is to increase stabilization and prepare the individual and it to usual level of pre-crisis functioning.

Traffic-psychological examination of motor vehicles drivers pursuant to § 87a of the Act No 411/2005 Coll.

For whom it is intended?

• psychological tests (psycho tests) for drivers in domestic and international freight transportation, including drivers transporting dangerous goods (ADR, tanks)
• psycho tests for drivers of domestic, international and urban bus services
• psycho tests for drivers of special vehicles with the priority rights of way, using light or audible warning signals - e.g. medical rescue service, police, firemen etc.
• psycho tests for driving instructors and examiners
• psycho tests for drivers after loss of points

Thanks to the long standing experience we are working with sophisticated procedures of examination, affecting all professional driver's risk factors. Psychological testing is complex; along with taking a personality test also contains special psycho diagnostic battery ascertaining driver's performance (e.g. the scope of visual field, psycho motor coordination, situational awareness, decision making, response speed and the power of resistance in mentally demanding situations).

Psychological facility has a capacity up to 12 diagnostic stations. Test administration, testing and evaluation of their results are fully automated and designed in such a manner, that even a wider group of applicants can be examined at once. Throughout the testing the driver remains in direct contact with a professional psychologist, who has the opportunity to recognise him better at work. After finishing the tests this expert with the examinee discusses the results in detail and passes him a final report.

When there is necessary to undergo examination?

Since 1, July 2006 each general practitioner, issuing a medical certificate for a professional driver, is obliged to require results of his/her complex examination. The driver is required to undergo a traffic psychological evaluation before the commencement of business; further examination undergoes at the earliest 6 months before the age of 50 and then regularly every 5 years.

The content of examination:

The examination lasts 3 hours and more, depends on the psycho motor speed of the examinee, the overall scope of testing and the number of persons. Traffic psychological examination consists of a set of psycho diagnostic methods, aimed at the assessment of performance characteristics and personal traits.

How to succeed best in the traffic psychological examination?

• be rested (going to sleep early at night before the test), feeling in full physical and mental condition (e.g. at incipient disease it is better to order on another term), to note that the examination lasts 3 - 4 hours (at demanding examination even longer)
• least 12 hours before the testing not to drink alcoholic beverages or any other toxic substances
• do not forget to bring any corrective vision (glasses) and/or hearing aids
• bring an excerpt from the driver's card (can be obtained at the place of issue of driving license)

Co-operation with physicians:

In addition to professional drivers we also provide the traffic psychological examination of other drivers, including the authorisation of Group B (car). Most often is indicated by the practitioners, but it can be also done at the personal request of a driver, who wants to check his skills.

The most common grounds for co-operation:

• assessment of mental fitness for driving in seniors (over 65 years)
• assessment of mental fitness for driving in people with health problems (by neurological diseases, after injuries etc)
• assessment of mental fitness for driving in individuals, who were dependent on addictive substances
• in any situation, when the physician is not sure whether the patient is able to drive a motor vehicle without the risk

Orders for psychological examination are taken directly on the page: www.ulz.cz, on weekdays from 7:00 am to 3:45 pm at telephone numbers +420 973 212 463, +420 973 212 499