Implementation of ICD-10 in the Nordic countries

ICD-10 was published in 1992. On 1 January 1994 Denmark, as the first of th e Nordic countries, changed to ICD-10 as the official classification system in the psychiatric health service system. Finland followed on 1 January 19 96, and the last three of the five countries Sweden, Norway, and Iceland - did so on 1 January 1997. Preparations for publication of guidelines and te aching material, responsibility for introduction, and implementation of tea ching programmes are described. On the basis of acquired experiences it is recommended that the five Nordic psychiatric societies establish and financ e a forum for collaboration of key persons in psychopathology, diagnosing, classification, and registration. Such a forum should deal with the develop ment of quality, mutual empirical interchange, and support and should contr ibute to sustaining the high quality level of classification in the five co untries.