solutions to be put in place through coordinated efforts of the prison authorities and the Ministry of Health. Attention should be paid to providing access to specialists, in particular to psychiatrists, for all prisoners in need of specialized medical treatment. 345.The SPT strongly recommends that any medical gate-keeping function is taken on by staff with appropriate medical training, e.g. nurses. 346.The SPT recommends that the authorities ensure that medical confidentiality is scrupulously respected at all times The SPT emphasizes that prison officers should stay out of hearing and preferably out of sight of the patient during his/her interaction with the doctor. In exceptional cases, where a doctor so requests, special security arrangements may be considered relevant, such as having a prison officer within call. The doctor should note this assessment in the record together with a description of security measures taken and the names of all persons present. Furthermore, non-medical staff should not be allowed access to the medical records. 347.The SPT underlines that good record keeping is an essential part of the medical element in the protection of the physical integrity of persons deprived of their liberty. All cases of injuries should be registered, not only in the patient’s individual case record, but also in an incident register that should go to the director. 348.The SPT recommends that the healthcare staff of the prison should perform daily checks on their health, it being understood that the doctor should act, as always, in the best interests of the health of the prisoner. 349.The SPT requests the authorities to provide information concerning the practical modalities of those tests [HIV and drug tests]. 350.The SPT requests the authorities for updated information about the development of these programmes [drug treatment]. 351.Considering the difficulties in recruitment and the high turn over of medical doctors of the prison, the SPT recommends that the medical staff, particularly the doctors, should be given refresher courses in relevant topics on a regular basis. 352.The SPT recommends that medical doctors, after appropriate training, should be involved in these responsibilities. 353.The SPT recommends that the Maldivian authorities adopt mental health legislation to ensure that deprivation of liberty of persons suffering of psychiatric conditions is given a firm legal basis. If a specialized facility is not established, it should be ensured that all psychiatric offenders serving long term sentences are attended on a regular basis preferably with continuity of care provided by the same psychiatrist. 354.The SPT recommends that the authorities remind all prison personnel at all levels that all forms of ill-treatment of persons in their custody are prohibited. 355.In light of State’s obligations pursuant to articles 12 and 16 of the Convention against Torture, the SPT recommends that prompt and impartial investigations should be undertaken whenever the authorities receive credible information, from any source, that illtreatment of persons deprived of their liberty may have occurred, and this even in the absence of a formal complaint. 356.The SPT recommends that the authorities ensure that there is an effective, confidential and independent complaints and monitoring system in operation. Every request or complaint should be promptly dealt with and replied to without undue delay. The SPT also requests a break-down of statistics on all cases of complaints against prison officers lodged in 2007 as well as information on any disciplinary or other proceedings and any sanctions taken against prison officers on the basis of such complaints. E. Youth rehabilitation centres 357.The SPT recommends that these types of centres (as Maafushi Educational Training Centre for Children) should be used as a model also when establishing centres for children in conflict with the law. 358.The SPT recommends that a number of calls be increased bearing in mind the age of the children placed in that Centre. 359.The SPT recommends that all incidents and punishments and other disciplinary measures be systematically recorded in an incident book in a manner allowing proper oversight of use of those measures. F. Cooperation 360.The SPT requests the Maldivian authorities to provide within six months a full written response to this visit report and in particular to the conclusions, recommendations and requests for further information contained therein. This six months period allows time for at least some of the steps planned or in the process of implementation to be realized in practice and for the programme of longer term action to be initiated. Annex I List of places of deprivation of liberty visited by the SPT A. Police facilities 1.Police detention centres Malé Custodial (Atholhuvehi Detention Centre) Dhoonidhoo Detention Centre