1.1 Visits to social care institutions (residential homes for the elderly) Urgent doctor’s visits are conducted according to priority, and outside doctor’s working hours the retirement houses turn to the emergency services of the nearest hospitals or medical centres. As needed, residents can visit specialists. Outpatient specialists check-ups are conducted accompanied by staff or in agreement with residents’ relatives. A psychiatrist, just as a general practitioner, visits the home upon prior agreement. At Škofja Loka Centre, as well as the homes in Ptuj, Jesenice, and Črni Vrh a psychiatrist is present once per week, in some places they are present once per month (Radlje ob Dravi, Trnovo), twice per month (Trebnje, Trnovo), or as needed (Ptuj, Ptuj (the Koper unit)). Jesenice Retirement Home has a form for describing residents’ daily psychiatric state, which is also available for residents of the secure ward. In some homes a psychiatrist is called by phone for acute matters (Radlje ob Dravi, Trnovo). The history of a resident’s visits with a psychiatrist is recorded in their file. In addition, a psychiatrist and a diabetologist visit the Škofja Loka Centre every week. A dentist is available to residents in the nearest medical centres, or can be arranged by residents’ relatives (Ptuj (Koper unit). Physiotherapy is conducted at homes in the ward or in the physiotherapy rooms. Residents who are potentially infected with MRSA or ESBL are kept in isolation at the majority of homes, but not everywhere (Trnovo). In Trnovo, they disinfect the resident’s hands and do not keep them in the room. At Črni Vrh RH they keep a record of this type of infections, but do not have an isolation room. The reason for this is that, due to the large number of residents with this type of infection, isolation is in fact impossible. The Bor RH also informs external visitors to the home about nosocomial infections. NPM’s expert recommended that the home in Črni Vrh look into whether or not it is sensible to organize a special isolation room or ward for those residents who have nosocomial infections which can be healed by decolonisation measures. The NPM expert is otherwise of the opinion that the spread of nosocomial infections can be reduced by taking into consideration hygienic standards, while the spread can not be totally prevented given the residents’ social contact and common activities. Given the health of residents in the secure ward and the consequences isolation would bring about, the expert’s opinion is that it is sensible to continue with existing measures meant to reduce the possibility of spreading nosocomial infections. It is a rare occurrence that we visit a home which does not have a resident suffering from a MRSA or ESBL infection (Radlje ob Dravi), which is commendable, and which we would like to single out as an example of good practice. Fall incidents are recorded in an incident list or in the report book (Trnovo). Trnovo Centre for the Elderly diligently records incidents (residents’ slips and falls), which we commend, as analysing and determining the reasons for these incidents can contribute to their reduction. At the majority of homes, residents’ doors in the secure ward are unlocked. We were unpleasantly surprised at Ptuj RH (Koper unit), where residents’ rooms were locked, even sometimes with residents locked inside. The home explained that this was due to the wishes of residents’ relatives, which came as a surprise to the retirement home as well. NPM criticised the home’s current practice, as we got the feeling that residents cannot influence how their environment and living conditions are organized. In addition we understood the locking of doors as an additional encroachment upon the freedom of movement. Restricting movement within one room is namely an additional measure which can only be employed under the provisions determined by the Mental Health Act (ZDZdr.) Given that the residents suffering from dementia are concerned, such practice seems insulting, inhumane, and entirely unacceptable. We called upon the home to cease this practice. During our control visit, we once again received the explanation that rooms are locked for ensuring peace to residents, so that they are not bothered by other residents. This should not restrict their movement, as on the inside of the door there is a button which allows the doors to be opened. We also found it impossible to agree with this explanation, as not all residents know how to open the doors this way, and for the residents who do, we do not see why the staff should have to lock them in, as they can lock the doors themselves if they want. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE NPM IN 2013 NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM UNDER THE OPTIONAL PROTOCOL TO THE UN CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL, INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT 45