Report of the HRD on the activities of the National Preventive Mechanism in Poland in 2011 while in Gorzów Wielkopolski they were informed that juveniles were allowed to make phone calls only after the court grants its consent. Until then any contacts with relatives takes place in the presence of a police officer. The condition for applying for the court’s consent is closing down the investigation proceedings. In its report for the Polish government from its 2004 visit to Poland, the CPT recommends that Polish authorities take the following steps at Police emergency centres for children: create more opportunities for juveniles to maintain contact with their families, in particular juveniles should be allowed to receive regular visits from their family, except for exceptional cases which are justified by the circumstances. Moreover, children should be allowed to make phone calls139. The National Preventive Mechanism is of the opinion that due to the fact that a stay in an establishment is a difficult experience for a juvenile, maintaining contact with relatives is essential and may positively influence later functioning of a juvenile. Thus one should strive to ensure that such contacts take place in conditions guaranteeing privacy and freedom of speech, and that it is also possible to maintain them via the telephone. In response to the NPM’s recommendations, the head of ECC in Lublin stated that a telephone will be accessible to juveniles, but only in the presence of a police officer on duty, in order to prevent a risk of transferring to third parties information which may prove vital for the ongoing investigation. The head of ECC in Bydgoszcz announced, however, that it is impossible to grant a juvenile a possibility to make phone calls. Quoting international standards and international law, the National Preventive Mechanism recommended that such practices be changed, and that juveniles be permitted to use the telephone. The NPM also decided that the implementation of the above-mentioned recommendation by the head of ECC should be monitored. The National Preventive Mechanism recommended: • to carry out visits without the presence of a police officer, unless specific circumstances justify such presence, • allow juveniles to have phone contact with parents or legal guardians. e) Right to health care National provisions governing the operation of Police emergency centres for children do not stipulate the obligation to conduct medical examination on every newly admitted juvenile. Usually, doctors or nurses did not make regular visits in Police emergency centres for children. When the health of a juvenile was at risk, his/her right to medical care was exercised by calling an ambulance. However, the National Preventive Mechanism is of the opinion that each newly admitted juvenile should undergo medical examination. Similar position was expressed by the CPT which in its report for the Polish Government from its 2004 visit to Poland recommended that all newly admitted juveniles undergo immediate  See: § 44CPT/Inf (2006)11. 139 76