Visits in 2018 Furthermore, not all patients had received written grounds for the decision to use coercive measures, and the duty to give the patients a chance to state their case before such a decision is made was not sufficiently implemented in the department’s procedures. It was also found that the patients were, only to a varying degree, offered an evaluation interview after a decision to use force had been made, which is a measure required by law. The NPM underlined that this is an important means of safeguarding patients’ rights and preventing arbitrary use of force. It also gave cause for concern that psychopharmacological treatment was a particularly prominent part of the treatment given at the department. There appeared to be few other treatment options, such as cognitive therapy. The department had few psychologists and specialist psychologists on staff. There was an increase in the use of mechanical restraints in some wards in 2017. However, no findings were made that indicated disproportionate use. 37 The NPM expressed concern about the fact that there were examples of restraints being used for more than six hours and noted that the restraint beds being in full view in the segregation units was problematic. According to the hospital, Electroconvulsive treatment (ECT) had not been administered on grounds of necessity (i.e. without informed consent in a life-threatening situation) at the department in the period 2015–2017. Several of the segregation (in Norwegian law termed ‘shielding’) units had a somewhat sterile feel, but were kept in a proper and clean state. Segregation was carried out in a humane way. It was emphasised that the staff generally seemed to have regular contact with the patients in the segregation units, and that the department’s management had clearly signalled that this was a priority. It was also positive that segregated patients were generally given the opportunity to spend time outdoors every day and that they could also engage in recreational activates in the segregation unit. Reinsvoll psychiatric hospital