In its response to the preliminary report, the retirement home stated that for residents who are
unable to provide their consent for the use of the belt preventing them from slipping from the
wheelchair, family members or general practitioners had always been included in deciding on the
use of this belt; however, this had not been recorded with their signature. The retirement home
has eliminated this deficiency.
f) Complaint boxes
Even though the NPM has been pointing out the need to set up complaint boxes in secure departments
since it started its visits to social care institutions, we again established that a number of retirement
homes do not have such a box or that it was not appropriately marked. It was therefore again
recommended that such a box be set up and clearly marked, and that aids for writing a complaint be
provided. We are aware that residents with any of the forms of advanced dementia are often unable
to write a complaint on their own; it is, nevertheless, only right to offer them this possibility. A similar
recommendation to that provided below was therefore also made to Gornja Radgona Retirement Home,
the Kidričevo Unit of Ptuj Retirement Home, Ljutomer Retirement Home, Sv. Martin Retirement Home
in Srednja vas v Bohinju, Horjul Retirement Home, Fužine Retirement Home, Dr. Jože Potrč Retirement
Home in Poljčane, and Dr Janko Benedik Retirement Home in Radovljica.
•W
e recommended to Dom Viharnik Kranjska Gora that complaints and compliments boxes in both
communities be set up in a visible location, and that they be easily accessible to anyone wishing
to submit a complaint or compliment. We also recommended that a pen and paper be (safely) put
next to the boxes (including the box in the hallway before entering the premises to the two groups).
In its response to the preliminary report, the retirement home stated that complaint boxes had been set
up and pen and paper were available at the reception desk (as stated on the box).
g) Information on a representative of people with mental health problems
In accordance with the ZDZdr, one of the rights of people with mental health problems is the right to a
representative. Unfortunately, secure departments of retirement homes often do not have information
on representatives; these representatives do not even come to the retirement homes; and they do not
introduce themselves to the staff or the residents or their family members. A similar recommendation
to that provided below was therefore also made to the Kidričevo Unit of Ptuj Retirement Home, Ljutomer
Retirement Home, Sv. Martin Retirement Home in Srednja vas v Bohinju, Horjul Retirement Home,
Fužine Retirement Home, and Dr. Jože Potrč Retirement Home in Poljčane.
•T
he NPM recommended that Gornja Radgona Retirement Home publish the list of representatives
of human rights in the field of mental health and their contact details in a visible location. We
proposed that the retirement home contact the representative or the Ministry and obtain informative
material (posters, brochures, etc.) for the residents.
In its response to the preliminary report, the retirement home stated that the list of representatives of
human rights in the field of mental health and their contact details had already been published in a
visible location. The retirement home asked the Ministry to provide information material for residents.
•D
uring its visit to Idrija Retirement Home, the NPM recommended to the Ministry that it ensure that
representatives of people with mental health problems introduce themselves to residents with
mental health problems in retirement homes, and if necessary also to their family members or
guardians. We believe that while brochures and posters are useful, even though residents with
dementia might rarely choose to read them or be able to understand them, a personal introduction
from the representative, who knows how to approach a person with such a mental health problem,
is undoubtedly much more useful and informative and increases the possibility that the elderly will
know who to turn to when in distress. This will consequently contribute to achieving the purpose
of the representatives.
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE NPM IN 2017
NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM UNDER THE OPTIONAL PROTOCOL TO THE UN CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL, INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT
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