Annual report 2011: Spain’s National Preventive Mechanism (Alicante) the inmates generally received lower doses of medication than would be prescribed to patients with analogous conditions in the extrapenitentiary health system The number of deaths and suicides fell significantly in 2011 psychiatric prison hospital in Alicante. The dosage was lower than that which would be given to patients with analogous conditions in health services outside prison. This contrasts with concerns over possible overmedication expressed by three members of the AFAPIHPPA (Association of Family and Friends of Patients at the Psychiatric Prison Hospital of Alicante) interviewed — specifically the mother of a former inmate, an inmate at the hospital who was out on weekend leave and his brother. The medical services report that the facility itself provides a means of contention, which means that psychotic symptoms are permissible as long as they do not disturb other patients or lead to violence. This is considered beneficial as the use of higher doses of medication leads to a greater incidence of side effects, especially in the medium to long term. The following are some of the remarks from inmates: “Having tried various drugs, we finally managed to find one which kept me stable and which had no side effects”; “I think they’re giving me the right medication and I need it”. Nonetheless, during the visit we also received some complaints about the medication: “They don’t give me enough medicine, I go through hell and the psychiatrist doesn’t understand me”; “I’d like them to lower my levels of medication “. 134. According to information provided by the SGIP and the Catalan regional justice department, there were 203 deaths in prison in 2011: 148 in prisons answerable to the SGIP and 55 in prisons answerable to the Catalan government. In the case of the SGIP, this is a considerable drop on the previous year, when there were 185 deaths. In contrast, in Catalonia there was a slight increase on the figure for 2010, when 53 people died in prison. There was also a significant fall in the numbers of suicides in prison, from 23 in SGIP prisons in 2010 to 15 in 2011, and from 5 to 2 in Catalonia. The Ombudsman has initiated 15 ex officio investigations into prison deaths in 2011. Table 34.  Deaths of prison inmates in 2011 SGIP prisons Catalan govt. prisons Drugs 31 9 Suicide 15 2 HIV/AIDS 10 2 Assault 4 0 Accidental 2 1 79 41 7 0 148 55 Other conditions Awaiting autopsy report TOTAL Source: authors, based on figures provided by SGIP and Catalan regional justice department. The suicide prevention programme in Castellón de la Plana prison is being successfully applied 152  During our inspection visit to Castellón de la Plana prison, we found that the suicide prevention programme is being applied successfully. This is evidenced by a low rate of attempted suicide and the lack of any successful suicides over the last   THE OMBUDSMAN OF SPAIN