National Preventive Mechanism Tenth Annual Report 2018–19 The essential requirement of OPCAT – that all places of detention are independently monitored – is fulfilled by individual members of the NPM or by members working in partnership with one another. Detailed findings relating to the treatment and conditions of detainees are published in the inspection or annual reports of each NPM member. The NPM’s twice-yearly business meetings are its main forum for members to share findings, best practice, experiences and lessons from monitoring different types of detention and different jurisdictions. The NPM business plan is agreed and monitored at these meetings and other decisions which require the input of all members are made. This year, business meetings were held in September 2018 in London and in April 2019 in Cardiff. NPM chair The NPM’s independent Chair is appointed by NPM members. John Wadham took up the role in 2016. The role of the Chair is to advise and support the NPM in fulfilling its mandate, including: • c hairing the NPM steering group meetings three to four times a year and NPM business meetings twice a year; • supporting NPM members in developing and implementing NPM work and in fulfilling their NPM responsibilities; and • speaking publicly on behalf of the NPM and representing the NPM at meetings with external stakeholders. The Chair also supports the NPM Secretariat in carrying out its role. 12 NPM Secretariat The NPM’s Secretariat is based at HMI Prisons and coordinates the UK NPM to help achieve the full and effective implementation of OPCAT in the UK. It is made up of two employees who coordinate the NPM with the purpose of: • p romoting cohesion and a shared understanding of OPCAT among NPM members; • encouraging collaboration and the sharing of information and good practice between UK NPM members; • facilitating joint activities between members on issues of common concern; • liaising with the SPT, NPMs in other states and other international human rights bodies; • sharing experiences and expertise between the UK NPM and NPMs in other states; • representing the NPM as a whole to government and other stakeholders in the UK; and • preparing the annual report and other publications. NPM steering group The NPM steering group oversees the overall strategy and activities of the NPM. Its five members meet regularly and are representative of members in all four nations of the UK and, as far as possible, of the different remits of organisations that make up the NPM. The NPM steering group supports decisionmaking between business meetings, and develops the NPM business plan and proposals to members.