Hospitals and psychiatric institutions which are often perceived as traumatising. However, the experience of the NPM indicates that these follow-up meetings are often not given sufficient attention or that there was no reference to a follow-up meeting in the inspected medical history after a restraint had been applied. Reference is made to the importance and necessity of follow-up meetings in the CPT standards. According to the CPT, follow-up meetings should take place as soon as possible after a restraint. This gives the medical staff the opportunity CPT standards emphasise importance of follow-up meetings to explain why the restraint was applied and build up a positive doctorpatient relationship. The follow-up meetings give the patients the opportunity to talk about how they experienced the restraint. In this way, the health care professionals receive feedback on whether and how their own behaviour has to be changed in an imminent conflict situation. For this reason, the NPM sees follow-up meetings on restraints and other serious restrictions of freedom as a fixed component of medical treatment. Generally speaking, working through experiences with measures that restrict freedom from a professional and preventive human rights perspective should be emphasised more because they improve continued compliance. Guidelines in which binding quality standards are defined should also serve Guidelines this purpose. In this way, uncertainty on the part of the staff in dealing with measures that restrict freedom can be avoided. Detailed ongoing training programmes on the application of measures that restrict freedom are also necessary in parallel. The training content should not only be limited to the “technical” application of these measures. What should also be emphasised is the vital importance of the circumstances before, during and after a measure that restricts freedom in the interest of a preventive approach and as gentle a treatment as possible for the patients. It is necessary that the application of measures that restrict freedom is documented in a comprehensible way. Corresponding proof of execution identifies the persons applying the measure and documents which interventions Complete documentation is essential were made on which day, at which time, for how long, by which person. This also benefits quality assurance. Therefore, the application of all interventions must be confirmed in writing or electronically by means of a local signal or set digital ID with time or time period and date. This is stipulated in the work aid for nursing documentation 2010 that was created on behalf of the former Federal Ministry of Health. From a human rights point of view, it should be considered that these quality assurance measures make a considerable contribution to raising awareness. Due to the written documentation, the staff member applying the measure will automatically reflect on their actions. 49