2.2 VISITS TO PSYCHIATRIC HOSPITALS for further accommodation in the ward since, as stated in previous recommendations, the implementation of SPM against the patient’s will is understood as a withdrawal of consent to stay in the ward. On the occasion of this visit, we made 17 new recommendations (these were partly repeated recommendations that were not realised after the previous visit of the NPM in 2018). We thus recommended that the hospital repair the ventilation system, decorate common areas and hospital rooms in the women’s and gerontopsychiatric wards, install suitable collection boxes for complaints, proposals and commendations, provide writing material and description of complaint channels. We also advised that collection boxes be emptied (at least) every two weeks due to possible complaints, and contact details of the staff member who helps patients to write complaints be published on notice boards. It was again proposed that emergency buttons be installed, and that it is necessary to pay attention to whether a patient in whose room group activities are being implemented has agreed to them. We repeated the recommendation about due diligence when a patient gives their consent to be accommodated in the secure ward and when they withdraw such consent. In relation to this, we recommended amending the legal notice in the consent form. We also added that the hospital should ensure that the deadlines for detention of individual patients are not exceeded. Relating to the implementation of SPM, we highlighted the patient’s privacy and the importance of observing all provisions of Article 29 of the ZDZdr, including the staff’s vigilance when SPM are carried out on a patient who is in the secure ward based on their own consent. We also noted that special attention must be paid when a patient is no longer capable of withdrawing their consent due to their worsening condition. We suggested the harmonisation of house rules with actual visits (which are supposedly unlimited) and suitable airing of the smoking room in the women’s secure ward. As stated above, we received only a partial reply from the hospital to the new recommendations after an additional request and are still waiting for the full response during the drafting of this report after submitting another request. 42 THE REPORT OF THE HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN OF THE REPUBLIC OF SLOVENIA ON IMPLEMENTING THE TASKS OF THE NPM

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