general observations in connection with inspections 32 Conclusion regarding remand centres and prison establishments It is a problem that detainees placed within the Prison and Probation Service still find themselves in environments where their statutory rights are not catered for. As a result of initiatives taken during 2015–2017, this issue will continuously be a central issue for the Parliamentary Ombudsmen’s work under OPCAT. It is positive that work has been initiated to create more flexible remand prisons that enable detainees to spend time in common facilities. There are grounds for continuing to monitor what measures the Prison and Probation Service will take on to establish measures that improve outdoor environments. An important issue for the Prison and Probation Service over the coming years should be reducing isolation to counteract the negative consequences deprivation of liberty can have. It is positive that work on creating a more flexible remand operation has commenced and that more placements that enable time to be spent in common facilities have been added. The high capacity in the remand prisons and the increased need for the number of places give grounds for concern since it could lead to a lack of placements in the prison service and thereby difficulties to provide common areas where detainees are able to spend time. It will continue to be a central issue for the Parliamentary Ombudsmen to monitor how the Prison and Probation Service works within this issue. This includes creating a flexible organisation that means that the Prison and Probation Service accommodate rights, without restrictions, for detainees to be able to spend time together in common areas with other detainees. The Prison and Probation Service’s report indicates that there is a large amount of work remains to be done on this issue. There are also grounds for the Parliamentary Ombudsmen to continue to monitor how measures to reduce isolation, taken in relation to individual detainees, are registered. Time spent outdoors, on a daily basis, fulfils an important function in counteracting the negative consequences that being deprived of one’s liberty can have. In order to fulfil this function, it is important that the outdoor environments (exercise yards) detinees are referred to are designed so that they can contemplate their surroundings. This aspect has had a hidden role with regards to the design of the exercise yards at, for example, remand prisons, in favour of safety considerations in particular. There are grounds for continuing to monitor what measures the Prison and Probation Service will take on to establish measures that improve inadequate outdoor environments. Finally, there are reasons for the Parliamentary Ombudsmen to carry out a follow-up over the coming years of, among other things, the wording in agreements for standby doctors and the access the country’s remand prisons and prison establishments have to medical care personnel.