information in different registers. It would also allow easy access to all relevant information at once, and there would no longer be a need to transfer information in written forms - an unreliable practice which leaves room for unintentional errors. In addition, having all relevant information readily accessible would render it easier for the authorities to oversee the custody period of an individual detainee or to examine a possible complaint, as well as for the detainee him/herself to exercise the right to see what information is registered on his/her case. In light of the above, the SPT recommends that the authorities examine the possibility of establishing a centralized system of registers to which all relevant stakeholders would have access. Particular attention should be paid to data protection issues, and access to the system be granted depending on the field of responsibility of each authority and duties of the staff members. (d)Medical screening upon arrival 92.Under chapter 2, section 7 of the Remand Regulations, a detainee shall be offered the opportunity to be seen by a nurse as soon as possible after entry. If upon this screening it appears that there is a need for a medical examination, the detainee shall have the possibility to be examined by a doctor as soon as possible. In all remand prisons visited, in practice the nurse performed the initial screening of new arrivals. 93.The delegation understood that before a detainee sees a nurse, the staff has already briefly interviewed the detainee about his/her state of health upon arrival, and that he or she may also have been requested to complete a questionnaire on health matters. The delegation was also provided with a copy of this questionnaire. However, the delegation remained uncertain whether this is a usual practice or done only occasionally. The SPT requests the authorities to clarify whether or not brief initial screening on medical issues is conducted r outinely by non medical staff. 94.In the meeting with the Swedish Prison and Probation Service (Kriminalvården) the delegation expressed its concern about the high number of suicides in remand custody in the course of 2007. According to the statistics, there had been 11 such cases that year and already one case in 2008 at the time of SPT’s visit. The delegation was informed that Kriminalvården has taken some measures to prevent suicides in custody, for example specific regulations concerning risk assessment were provided last year. All suicide cases are also reported to the National Board of Health and Welfare. According to Kriminalvården, a questionnaire has been developed to evaluate the suicide risk. 95.In the visits to the remand prisons, the delegation was informed that this evaluation of suicide risks is conducted by staff members carrying out the entry assessment. If on the basis of that evaluation there appears to be a suicide risk, the person concerned will be checked every 15 minutes before he/she can be assessed by a doctor. Furthermore, the officer in charge of the prisons in the Uppsala region (Kriminalvårdchef) informed the delegation that detainees who are at suicidal risk (in consultation with a doctor and if the prosecutor allows) are not placed in individual cells but together with another detainee. 96.However, from the discussions with the staff members it became clear that the staff felt that they were not properly trained to conduct an evaluation of this kind. Although the interview took place in private, the staff told the delegation that the situation was difficult for both the detainee and the staff member, especially if the staff member was considerably younger than the detainee, and they were of the opinion that asking very direct questions on a very sensitive matter and without proper training was against the detainee’s integrity. For those reasons they also questioned the results and meaningfulness of such an interview. 97.In SPT’s view, newly arrived detainees, especially those under restrictions, should be medically screened either by a doctor or a nurse. In addition, the SPT emphasizes that all questioning on health matters shall be conducted in accordance with the principle of medical confidentiality. Non-medical staff should not have access to the medical files of the detainees and staff without special training should not be involved in gathering medical information or in assessment of suicidal risks. 98. The SPT recommends that the authorities ensure that all detainees are medically screened upon arrival. If the initial screening is performed by a nurse, the detainees should be offered the opportunity to be seen by a doctor as soon as possible after arrival. 99. Furthermore, the SPT recommends that the detainees are questioned on health matters, including screening of suicidal risk, only by properly trained staff, and that medical confidentiality is scrupulously respected. Custodial staff should be trained to recognize symptoms of stress conducive to an elevated risk of suicide; if they estimate that a detainee would be at such a risk, they should bring this to the attention of the medical staff immediately. 2. Allegations of ill-treatment 100.The delegation did not receive any allegations of ill-treatment by staff in remand prisons. On the contrary, many detainees interviewed appreciated the commitment of the staff as well as their professionalism and human approach. 3. Restrictions 101.During the visit, the delegation paid attention to the long-standing dialogue between the Swedish authorities and other international and regional monitoring bodies on the issue of the application by the public prosecutor and the courts of restrictions on person held on remand custody. It especially noted the on-going debate on this matter among the Swedish authorities. 102.According to Kriminalvården, the percentage of remand prisoners held under restrictions varies significantly between regions. According to its estimations, in the western region it may be up to 60 - 70 %, in Stockholm region some 40 %, the proportion being lower in the north, approximately 20 - 30 %. However, it was emphasized that these were only estimations, as there are no official statistics on the use of restrictions.