3.1.3. Healthcare The healthcare of the convicts in the Penitentiary in Shtip is provided by a general practitioner, a medical technician and a dental technician, all employees in the Health Centre Shtip. The convicted persons report to the shift commander or to any of the representatives from the Security Department for the need for a medical examination and most often the examination is performed the next day. If there is a need for additional specialist examinations that are performed in the hospital in Shtip, the convicted persons are transferred to the hospital by an official vehicle and are accompanied by a person from the Security Department. In this regard, information was received that due to the lack of official transport vehicles, as well as insufficient number of people in the Security Department, the institution often faces problems in escorting convicts to specialist examinations. Regarding the manner of distribution of therapies, it was concluded that during the working days, in the morning, the tablet therapy is distributed, individually to each convicted person, regardless of whether it is an acute or chronic disease. The therapy is given by the medical technician, and it is previously prescribed by the doctor. During the weekends and holidays, the therapy is prepared and distributed to the convicts on the last working day. Methadone therapy for convicts is kept in a specially closed cupboard, accessible only to the doctor and medical technician. This therapy is taken once a week from the Methadone Centre in Shtip and it is distributed to the people every day, in the presence of the medical technician. Insulin therapy is taken once a month and stored according to the prescribed standards. Convicted persons who have a psychiatric diagnosis, or who are being treated for addiction (drugs, alcohol, etc.), despite the necessity, do not have the opportunity to contact a professional, because a psychiatrist does not come to the institution. During the visit, the convicts received information about the superficiality of the examination and the impossibility to send them to additional specialist examinations to control their chronic diseases. 3.1.4. Use of coercive means In the circle of the institution, when they are among the convicts, the officials do not walk with personal weapons, but only with radio connections. Officials said they had been trained in the use of coercive means, as well as undergoing “shooting” or firing training. From the inspection of the documentation that is conducted for the used means of coercion, it was concluded that during 2019 only tying means - handcuffs were used, in 6 cases. In all cases, tying means were used to prevent the self-harm of convicts. For all registered cases of used means of coercion in 2019 reports have been prepared which www. ombudsman.mk 111