Police detention centres and ensure privacy. Therefore, shower facilities (for multiple persons) should be separated by privacy screens. Alternatively, individual use should be facilitated. The toilets in cells for multiple inmates should, in any case, be completely physically separated from the rest of the inmate cell. This serves to protect privacy while using the toilet and avoids unpleasant smells and noises for fellow prisoners. The working group agreed that detainees should be able to take frequent showers, at least twice per week. In the future, the opportunity to take daily showers should be available during periods of extreme heat, for maintenance workers, on a doctor’s instructions, on the day before a planned forced return and for women during menstruation and menopause. Detainees must be informed of their opportunities to take showers. Detainees should have access to hygiene articles. Indigent detainees should be provided with hygiene articles, and female prisoners should be provided with hygiene articles, such as sanitary towels and tampons. In the past, the NPM often complained about the hygienic condition of the textiles distributed to the inmates of Hernalser Gürtel police detention centre, primarily the mattresses, pillows, blankets and sheets. The working group agreed on the following to ensure uniform furnishings for all detainees nationwide: in the future, each detained person is to be issued a blanket, a pillow, either a sheet and a bedspread or two sheets, and a pillowcase. In addition, they are to be given one large and one small towel and a dish cloth, if necessary. The bedding must be changed once per week in the future. If a bedspread is used, the blankets should be changed every eight weeks; otherwise every four weeks. Textiles should be immediately replaced if they are very dirty or damaged. Protective covers should be used to avoid soiling the mattresses, which – like the bedding – must be cleaned and disinfected. Used mattresses must always be replaced if there is a hygienic need. The NPM will monitor and report on the implementation of these standards. Telephone contact with the outside world In its Report 2016 (p. 136 et seq.), the NPM reported on the preliminary results of its work on standards for telephone contact with the outside world. The working group completed work on the formulation of these standards in 2017. The working group agreed that detainees should be afforded barrier-free access to a telephone by providing them with mobile service telephones, as needed. It was further agreed that detainees with sensory impairments could use their own technical aids when making phone calls. The NPM intends to make a recommendation on this matter. Documenting special security measures 144 During a visit to Hernalser Gürtel police detention centre in November 2016, the commission inspected the specially secured cells. In one cell, it encountered