Hospitals and psychiatric institutions On a monitoring visit to the psychiatric department of Favoriten Hospital, formerly known as Kaiser Franz Josef Hospital, Commission 4 observed extremely cramped conditions. There is nowhere for the patients to withdraw in shared rooms, which does not support the recovery process of acutely ill patients. There are no bathrooms in acute rooms and no sinks in the toilet facilities. Because there is no new building, four patients are accommodated in three-bed rooms. This results in difficult working conditions and thus higher staff turnover. Favoriten Hospital Patients are released shortly after the acute phase due to the lack of space. The average length of a stay in the psychiatric department is thus just between twelve and fourteen days. This means that after the acute phase the patients do not receive any further care in the hospital, thereby fundamentally differentiating the department from other psychiatric departments in Vienna. This gives rise to an alarming situation from the human rights perspective, being that psychiatric care varies greatly depending on the district. Short stays The application of the Hospitalisation of Mentally Ill Persons Act as a special component of psychiatric care cannot thus be embedded in an overall concept, nurturing “revolving door psychiatry”. In a statement of opinion, the City of Vienna explained that conversion measures are underway in Favoriten Hospital. The bathrooms in the patients’ rooms are to be adapted to the hygiene standards for medical handwashing stations. Exchanging the staff WC for the patient WC is under consideration. Conversion of sanitary facilities An interim concept for a new building is being discussed by the Vienna Health Association. An increase in the number of beds is included in the feasibility study. Furthermore, the existing infrastructure is to be adapted. However, a date for the implementation was not announced. Date for new building open In the opinion of the NPM, the structural condition of the Psychiatric Department A1 at Hall Regional Hospital fails to meet the requirements of contemporary psychiatric care. The layout and design of the rooms are not conformant with current standards. According to the observations made by Commission 1, there is no place for the patients to withdraw in the department. The consequence of an acute lack of space is that beds in hallways are a permanent item in the occupancy plan and frequently used. Improvement was effected through a room key system, which prevented entry to other rooms. Hall Regional Hospital Commission 1 also took a critical view of the mixed gender occupancy of the ward. Staff confirmed in confidential conversations that patients had attacked other patients. Attacks among the patients The number of beds should be adapted to the existing demand in order to avoid the use of beds in hallways and restraint therein. Avoid beds in hallways 56