4 VISITS TO PLACES OF DEPRIVATION OF LIBERTY 4.1 Visits to retirement homes In 2016, we visited 24 retirement homes or secure wards at these institutions; these included eleven regular visits and ten control visits, whereby more attention was dedicated to examining the observance of the recommendations given during the previous regular visit of the inspected institution (new recommendations are also made during control visits if the NPM determines that these are necessary). Three retirement homes were visited within the framework of a thematic visit during which we checked the type and quantity of activities for residents or patients taking place during weekends. During all visits, we checked the observance of recommendations made by NPM on its last visit and other circumstances important for the final assessment of cases of possible ill-treatment, punishment or even torture in the institutions concerned. The visits were carried out during regular control, which was planned in advance; all visits were unannounced. Some 186 recommendations were made, the majority of which (84) were realised immediately; many others were accepted (59) but not yet realised, and only 1.6 per cent or 3 recommendations were not accepted. The relatively large number of recommendations marked “No data” can be attributed to the fact that we had not yet received replies from certain institutions when preparing this annual report (Laško Retirement Home, Trubar Retirement Home in Loka pri Zidanem Mostu and Danica Vogrinec Retirement Home in Maribor). Many commendations of good practices were included in individual reports. Total Adopted Rejected Realised No data Legend Number of recommendations Share 186 59 3 84 40 100 % 31.7 % 1.6 % 45.2 % 21.5 % The visits took place according to an established order; at the beginning of a visit to an institution, we were divided into two smaller groups, so that one part of the control group conducted an interview with the management of the institution, and the other part of the group, usually NGO representatives, went to a ward, where they inspected all rooms on the ward, spoke to staff and patients, and monitored life on the ward for a while, i.e. particularly the treatment of residents and staff conduct. During the concluding discussion, we informed the management of our findings and provided the first recommendations. On the basis of each visit, we drafted a preliminary report, which was submitted to the relevant institution. After its response, we prepared a final report, which was submitted to the Ministry of Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, and a courtesy copy was sent to the social inspection. The report also contains the opinion of the expert from the psychiatric field, when a relevant institution was visited by such an expert at the request of NPM, and who give their opinion 26 IMPLEMENTATION OF THE DUTIES AND POWERS OF THE NPM IN 2016 NATIONAL PREVENTIVE MECHANISM UNDER THE OPTIONAL PROTOCOL TO THE UN CONVENTION AGAINST TORTURE AND OTHER CRUEL, INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT