NORWEGIAN PARLIAMENTARY OMBUDSMAN National Preventive Mechanism ANNUAL REPORT 2016 62 Dialogue with the authorities Regular meetings and good dialogue with official bodies, such as ministries, directorates and county governors, are an important element in the preventive work. In 2016, the NPM has had meetings with the Directorate of the Correctional Services, the Norwegian Board of Health Supervision, the Director General of Public Prosecutions, the County Governor of Oslo and Akershus, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice and Public Security, among others. Teaching and conferences The NPM's employees have attended a number of seminars and conferences during the year in order to elucidate various issues linked to the deprivation of liberty, obtain information from expert communities and increase our own knowledge and competence. The responsible authorities are also kept informed about how the places visited by the NPM follow up the Ombudsman’s recommendations after the visits. than coercion in mental health care’ under the auspices of the Norwegian Council for Mental Health The Parliamentary Ombudsman has made three consultation submissions during the year in areas of particular relevance to the preventive work.² It has attended and given talks at the following events, among others:³ ››Experience exchange meeting ‘Consent rather ››Meeting to debate the topic of people in flight under the auspices of the Faculty of Law at the University of Oslo: ‘In flight: Border controls at the expense of rights?’ ››Proposals for amendments to the Mental Health ››Lecture to custody officers taking further Care Act regarding the authority to carry out routine searches of patients etc. education at the Norwegian Police University College ››Proposal for new national police custody ››One-day conference on children in prison organ- ››The Correctional Services’ strategy for women ››Seminar on isolation, organised by the Norwe- instructions in prison ised by the Correctional Service Region West gian Association for Penal Reform: ‘Isolation – in accordance with the humane treatment of prisoners?’ ››Lecture to the Correctional Service of Norway Staff Academy (KRUS) for transport escorts at Trandum ››The Supervisory Commission Conference 2016 2 All of the Parliamentary Ombudsman’s consultation submissions have been published on the Ombudsman’s website: www.sivilombudsmannen.no, under ‘Publikasjoner og høringer’ (‘'Publications'). 3 A complete list of the NPM’s activities in 2016 is included in this annual report (page 72).