general observations in connection with inspections 44 measures to ensure a medical assessment is carried out of all detainees when they are registered.74 There are great differences in health and medical care that detainees are offered, at the Migration Agency’s detention centres. Despite the previous statements, it has been discovered that there are great differences between the Migration Agency’s detention centres in regards to the health and medical care offered to individuals deprived of their liberty. During an inspection in 2016, it was established that the detention centre in Flen did not have a nurse on site and that the detainees were not offered any health examination at the time of registration. This created problems for the staff in question, among other things with regards to handling medicines, and the staff were also forced to handle information about the detainees’ states of health. The Parliamentary Ombudsmen held that this was unsatisfactory.75 During a later inspection of the detention centre in Gävle, six months later, it was established that detainees had received access to a nurse. The detention centre had also taken measures to facilitate the detainees’ access to medicines. This reduces the risk of staff having to handle information about the detainees’ states of health.76 During an inspection of the detention centre in Kållered in 2017, it was established that the detainees had access to a nurse. There was, however, no procedure for ensuring that the nurse met all detainees when they were registered. Nor was there any check of whether the detainees had been offered a health examination from the county council before arriving at the detention centre. The Parliamentary Ombudsmen also questioned a method of working that meant that female staff members were always present during the nurse’s discussions with detainees.77 Conclusions on detention centres As a result of the inspections of the detention centres, shortcomings have been noted in the Migration Agency’s procedures regarding safety placements within the prison service. Some of these deficiencies have been addressed by the authority after being pointed out by the Parliamentary Ombudsmen. The Migration Agency has also addressed shortcomings in the instructions for when a body search can take place. This is positive. There are, however, still grounds for the Parliamentary Ombudsmen to monitor how the Migration Agency applies the rules on coercive measures in order to prevent detainees being subjected to unnecessarily invasive measures. Access to health and medical care within the detention operation will also continue to be a priority issue during inspections of detention centres. 74 JO 2011/12 p. 314, ref. no. 6090-2009 and CPT/Inf(2016) 1, p. 25 para. 39. 75 Ref. no. 843-2016. 76 Ref. no. 4831-2016. 77 Ref. no. 1000-2017.

Select target paragraph3

Connect to a paragraph
Connect to an entity
Disable highlights
Add to table of contents