National Preventive Mechanism Seventh Annual Report 2015–16 NPM self-assessment As in the previous two years, this year NPM members conducted a self‑assessment based on the UN SPT’s ‘analytical self‑assessment tool for NPMs’, which is designed for NPMs to examine their effectiveness and efficiency.51 This year, 16 out of 20 members completed the self-assessment, which feeds into their own efforts to strengthen their OPCAT compliance, and informs NPM business planning. Most members peer reviewed their responses within other NPM members as a means to share learning and provide constructive external review. Further work is needed to increase compliance with the self-assessment question relating to whether NPM members have gender-balance and adequate representation of ethnic and minority groups in their visiting teams (Q1.17). Only two members (12.5% of respondents) rated themselves as fully compliant with this question, and the remaining 14 respondents reported partial compliance. This represents a deterioration over time (last year 40% of respondents considered themselves fully compliant), which may signal increasing awareness by members of the need to do more to promote diversity within their organisations. Members reported that they were fully compliant with 86% of the self-assessment questions, and not currently compliant with 1.8% of the questions. This shows an upward trend year on year, from 79.5% full compliance in 2013–14 and 82.8% in 2014–15; this could demonstrate increased awareness of OPCAT compliance and/or increased actual compliance. Answers to questions relating to the NPM coordination function also demonstrated steady progress. Overall, NPM members considered themselves to be more compliant in questions relating to reporting, publishing and disseminating NPM work (full compliance 89.6%) than work relating to individual cases, including lessons learned, follow up, urgent actions procedures and reprisals (full compliance 80.6%). 51. The UK NPM’s self-assessment questionnaire can be found in Appendix 8 of the Fifth Annual Report, available at: http:// www.nationalpreventivemechanism.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/NPM-5th-Annual-Report-2013-14.pdf [accessed 01/11/16]. A full write-up of the self-assessment methodology is available at: http://www.nationalpreventivemechanism. org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/UK-NPM-self-assessment-write-up.pdf [accessed 01/11/16]. 36