Report of the Human Rights Defender on the activities of the National Preventive Mechanism in Poland in 2012 The observations and interviews by the representatives of the Mechanism do not allow to consider the treatment of patients by personnel in all visited hospitals to be appropriate. The representatives of the Mechanism were critical of various rules in place in individual establishments. The controversial rules should be eliminated, also from the internal regulations, since they violate the patients’ rights and are excessively severe (e.g. the ban on patients visiting other patients in other rooms of the same ward or ordering patients to go for a walk, or the locking of toilets when certain activities take place). In some establishments240, a part or all patients had to wear pyjamas all day and night (in line with an unofficial rule)241. In one of the hospitals242, the representatives of the Mechanism witnessed the transportation of a juvenile patient dressed only in pyjamas and a dressing gown, despite the cold November weather. The staff members of the visited hospital try to be helpful and fulfil the patients’ requests concerning e.g. shopping, but their attitude is not always appropriate in the opinion of the representatives of the NPM. In one of the establishments243, detained patients reported that the staff called them by their first names or by surnames without using the appropriate polite form of address (Mr/Ms) and sometimes yelled at them. In another establishment244, the patients stated that they were not treated as adults and one of them complained about spiteful comments of the staff about his looks. The majority of the interviewed patients were unable to find a person among the staff whom they trusted and could talk to about their problems. The visits also revealed frequent undesirable incidents in the form of conflicts between the patients, thefts or destruction of property, auto-aggression or attempted auto-aggression, mainly caused by the mental condition of the patients (although it must be remembered that the lack of appropriate activities is conducive to the development of aggressive behaviour). The visiting team emphasized that the personnel must react immediately to such behaviour to prevent damage. In two hospitals245, the representatives of the NPM pointed to the lack of quick response to and the ignoring of reports on incidents, as well as the failure to record oral notifications of patients concerning i.a. theft. Voivodeship Hospital for Neurotic and Psychiatric Patients in Suchowola, Voivodeship Hospital for Neurotic and Psychiatric Patients in Lubiąż 241 The CPT emphasizes that the practice of continuously dressing patients in pyjamas/nightgowns is not conducive to strengthening personal identity and self-esteem; individualisation of clothing should form part of the therapeutic process [Excerpt from the 8th General Report (CPT/Inf (98))]. 242 Voivodeship Hospital for Neurotic and Psychiatric Patients in Lubiąż. 243 Voivodeship Hospital for Neurotic and Psychiatric Patients in Suchowola. 244 Regional Forensic Psychiatry Centre in Gostynin. 245 Voivodeship Hospital for Neurotic and Psychiatric Patients in Lubiąż, Voivodeship Psychiatric Hospital in Olsztyn 240 96