conditions, individual services and detention itself. On the basis of the NPM recommendation upon its previous visit, Dutovlje social care institution supplemented the form intended for consent to admission in a secure ward, which is an example of good communication: “I am aware that consent may be revoked at any time and I may demand to be dismissed from the secure ward.” Such supplementation of the form was commended, but we also added that the institution must observe the fact that consent may be revoked in any form (written, verbal, conclusive actions). In the case of reasons for an individual’s complaint, it is mandatory for all options to be available to individuals to submit complaints (also anonymously if necessary) and that such complaints be discussed promptly. We thus commended information received from Dutovlje social care institution that the collection box for complaints installed in the secure ward is emptied at least once a week. 4.4 Visits to psychiatric hospitals In 2016, we visited five psychiatric hospitals, i.e. two were regular visits (Ljubljana University Psychiatric Hospital and Idrija Psychiatric Hospital), one was a control visit (Maribor University Medical Centre, Department of Psychiatry, Unit for Forensic Psychiatry), whereby we paid particular attention to the observance of recommendations made on the previous regular visit to the relevant institution, and two were thematic visits (the latter are discussed in a separate chapter), whereby we examined the type and amount of activities available to residents or patients at the weekend (Vojnik and Begunje psychiatric hospitals). During all visits, we checked the observance of recommendations made by the NPM on its last visit and other circumstances important for a final assessment of cases of possible ill-treatment, punishment or even torture in the relevant institutions. The visits were carried out during regular control which is planned in advance; all visits were unannounced. The visits took place according to an established order; we were divided into two groups, with part of the control group conducting an interview with the management of the institution, and the other part of the group, usually NGO representatives, inspecting ward, where they examined all rooms in the ward, spoke to staff and patients, and monitored life on the ward for a while, i.e. particularly the treatment of patients and staff conduct. During the concluding discussion, we informed the management of our findings and made our initial recommendations. Following each visit, the group prepared a report with findings and recommendations. One part of the report comprises the opinion of the expert from the psychiatric field, who visited the relevant institution at a later time, and provided their opinion based on their findings regarding medical and health care. Following the response of the institution to the preliminary report, we drafted a final report which was submitted to the relevant institution, the Ministry of Health and the Psychiatric expert council of Republic Slovenia at the above Ministry. The reports on individual visits are available on the Ombudsman’s website. The reports on visits were thus drafted on the basis of inspecting secure wards, discussions with the management of the relevant institutions, discussions with randomly selected residents, and on the basis of reviewing documentation of randomly selected cases. The institutions regularly responded to our recommendations and, in most cases, agreed with our findings or recommendations and assured us that some deficiencies had already been eliminated or that improvements were planned. During the visits, 66 recommendations were made, half of which were realised immediately, while most of the remaining recommendations were accepted, but not yet realised. Seven or eleven per cent of recommendations were rejected. 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 71