VISITS TO PSYCHIATRIC
HOSPITALS
In 2019, the NPM visited two psychiatric hospitals, i.e. on 18 July 2019, we conducted a regular visit to the Intensive Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit of
Ljubljana University Psychiatric Clinic. The visit was announced as it was an
introductory visit to the newly opened unit. After many years of efforts, also
by the Ombudsman, the unit opened in March 2019. It works under the auspices of the Mental Health Centre of Ljubljana University Psychiatric Clinic. The
unit, which is a ward under special supervision, has ten beds. During the visit,
we made 13 recommendations, of which the unit has already realised two, five
are to be realised, and we received no special response regarding six of them.
We will certainly pay attention to the implementation of the unrealised recommendations when we visit the unit again. In 2019 (8 August 2019), we also carried
out a control visit to Ormož Psychiatric Hospital during which we made 17 new
recommendations or we repeated certain unrealised recommendations. It was
evident from the hospital’s reply that it has realised four recommendations and
four are yet to be realised. When preparing this report (end of January 2020), we
were still waiting for the hospital’s response.
2.2.1
Regular visit to the Intensive Child
and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit of
Ljubljana University Psychiatric Clinic
When visiting the unit on 18 July 2019, we inquired about the living conditions in
the first such institution in Slovenia. We determined that the living conditions
were good and noticed various details in the rooms of young patients which
certainly contribute to their safe living. Based on our experience and international standards, we also issued several recommendations for the further improvement of conditions in the future. We proposed the installation of bedside
reading lights. In its response, Ljubljana University Psychiatric Clinic highlighted
the provision of safety to which we agreed as the safety of young patients must
be a priority when equipping rooms. We commended the readiness of Ljubljana
University Psychiatric Clinic to ensure suitable lighting in rooms. We are certain
that the clinic will strive to find a suitable solution relating to the lights necessary
in the evening or during the night. We also proposed the removal or covering up
of cameras in rooms or that patients be informed if video surveillance actually
takes place in the room. We pointed out that rooms in the unit be decorated
and that young patients be involved in this activity with their proposals. We were
pleased with the clinic’s reply that decorating of common areas and rooms was
already underway in order for it to be uniform and suitable for the age group. We
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2.2 VISITS TO
PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS
2.2
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