phones for patients to use in the patient room or allowing patients to use their own mobile phone. 7.2.9 – Staff Staff in many facilities reported staff shortages in the areas of nursing and mental health care. In the opinion of the National Agency, situations where staff appear to be overstretched can pose a risk to the humane treatment of persons accommodated in the facility. A healthy balance between nursing staff, therapeutic personnel and patients is necessary in order to ensure professional care and support, and ultimately helps create a safe environment for everyone involved. A change of therapist during an in-patient stay should be avoided wherever possible. The facilities concerned should examine how they can ensure a suitable staff-patient ratio and consistent, uninterrupted mental health care. 59