• Material conditions in the institutions must comply with the requirements under Article 40f of the Rules on the implementation of the Social Assistance Act, including as regards accessible environment. • When appointing a guardian or custodian, recourse must be made to Article 156, para 1 of the Family Code in order to limit the number of cases where a staff member of the specialised institution is appointed guardian/custodian. • Competent institutions should exercise effective control over service providers of residential care for elderly people in accordance with the Social Assistance Act and its Implementing Rules. • The Methods approved by the MLSP for designating personnel positions in specialised institutions as well as social services must be upgraded. VІІ. POLICE CUSTODY FACILITIES In 2015 the NPM conducted eight inspections of police custody facilities with the Ministry of Interior. The NPM commends the adoption of the new Instruction no. 8121з-78 of 24 January 2015 on detention procedures, equipment and order in police custody facilities. The instruction takes into account the recommendations made by the NPM from 2012 to 2014. The NPM acknolwedges the efforts made by the MoI management to improve the material conditions in some police custody facilities. At the same time the NPM established repetitive deficiencies: overcrowding, no service facilities, problems with food and medical care, omissions in informing detainees of their rights and keeping detention records. Unfortunately, no action has been taken on some of the recommendations made by the NPM such as regulating the coordination between the Ministry of Interior and Ministry of Health as regards medical care in police custody facilities. The NPM would like to underscore the continuing lack of effective control by the inspecting MoI bodies and Prosecutor’s Office over the records kept by the police units where there are custody facilities. CONCLUSION In 2015 the NPM found some progress in human rights protection in places of detention. The Bulgarian institutions pledge commitment to act upon the recommendations made and have taken some action to eliminate general or systemic problems in the places of detention. In 2016 the NPM will monitor how sustainable are these intentions and what will be the consequences of actions taken. 12