Review of visits to institutions and certain other activities of the npm in 2018 37. 18 Deputy Ivan Šelih and advisers Nataša Bratož, Ingrid Russi Zagožen, Lili Jazbec, mag. September Jure Markič, Ana Polutnik and Živa Cotič Zidar participated at workshops within the 2018 framework of the 2018 Mental Health Days. 38. 20 The Ombudsman’s adviser mag. Jure Markič attended the 6th session of the working September group for the establishment of a specialised unit for persons with profound mental 2018 disorders, which took place at the premises of the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities. 39. 24 Deputy Ivan Šelih and the Ombudsman’s advisers, Robert Gačnik and mag. Jure September Markič, were on a study visit in Graz at the Austrian NPM, where they also visited a 2018 (post)forensic institution. The purpose of the visit was to learn about the placing of persons with mental disorders who have committed criminal offences. The guests and a representative of the Austrian NPM visited Pro Mente Steiermark GmbH in Graz, where forensic care is provided for these persons. In addition to the residential unit, Slovenian guests also visited the so-called day centre, where persons work on a small farm. Other persons with mental disorders who were not offenders and live at home come to the farm to work on a daily basis. 40. 27 The Human Rights Ombudsman of the Republic of Slovenia and the National September Council of the Republic of Slovenia organised a panel discussion, The Elderly as 2018 the Present and the Future of Society at the National Council Hall. Lecturers on social, institutional and health care, and law provided their observations at the panel about the issues relating to the elderly. They spoke about measures, projects and activities intended to help elderly persons and improve the quality of their life. The Ombudsman’s representatives, mag. Jure Markič and Robert Gačnik, presented the work of the NPM and findings determined when visiting institutions where the elderly are (also) accommodated. The Ombudsman’s representatives, including the NPM representative, Lili Jazbec, discussed the findings of the survey regarding food, hospital-acquired infections and care conducted in 2018 in retirement homes. Their findings were supplemented by opinions of the above experts. The participants also focused on the issue of violence against the elderly, dementia and care for the elderly disabled and other vulnerable groups of elderly persons. 41. 28 Ombudsman Vlasta Nussdorfer addressed the attendees of the 10th International September Conference on Dementia ASK 2018 at the Faculty of Medicine in Ljubljana organised 2018 by the Spominčica Association. His contribution on the work in the field of dementia, was introduced by Ombudsman’s adviser mag. Jure Markič in the lecture, Dementia patients on secure wards of special social care institutions. 42. 1–4 October Deputy Ivan Šelih, Secretary General Kristijan Lovrak, Martina Ocepek, Director of 2018 the Ombudsman’s Expert Service and other Ombudsman’s colleagues received a delegation from the Armenian NPM for a study visit. The Deputy presented the work of the Slovenian NPM, the Secretary General spoke about the Ombudsman’s work, Director Martina Ocepek presented the work of the Expert Service, and NPM members Robert Gačnik, mag. Jure Markič, Ana Polutnik and Lili Jazbec spoke about the work of the NPM in practice. The guests became acquainted with the work of the Slovenian Police and its cooperation with the Ombudsman, the mental health system and the operating of retirement homes. The members of the Armenian NPM visiting the Ombudsman were Gohar Simonyan, Liana Hovakimyan, Laura Gasparyan and Harut Aklunts. 43. 4 October The Ombudsman’s adviser mag. Jure Markič attended the 7th session of the working 2018 group for the establishment of a specialised unit for persons with profound mental disorders, which took place at the premises of the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities. 44. 4 October Ombudsman Vlasta Nussdorfer, Deputies Tone Dolčič and Ivan Šelih, and Adviser 2018 mag. Jure Markič, attended the session of the Committee on Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Disability of the National Assembly of the Republic of Slovenia, where the 2017 Annual Report of the Human Rights Ombudsman and the 2017 Annual Report of the NPM were discussed. IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE NPM IN 2018 NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM UNDER THE OPTIONAL PROTOCOL TO THE UN CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL, INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT 25