84 health care patient must be clearly informed, however, that they have the right to receive an appealable decision on the possession of the personal property, if they object to the policy adopted by the ward. In unclear situations, the patient must be asked whether he or she would like to request an official decision. The Ombudsman recommended that the guidelines on restrictive measures should include instructions on the matter. Procedure in admitting patients for observation • On reviewing the patient documents, it became apparent that the decisions to admit patients for observation did not contain assessments on whether or not the conditions for ordering the patient to treatment had been met. The Ombudsman stressed that admitting a person for observation means deprivation from liberty for no longer than four days. The patient cannot appeal the decision, unless they are ordered into involuntary care. It is essential from the perspective of patients’ legal rights that the legality of the observation decision can be demonstrated afterwards. The Ombudsman stated that there is no specific form for admitting a person for observation, but according to the Mental Health Act, the physician deciding on the measure must assess whether or not the conditions for ordering the patient to treatment are likely to be met. The Ombudsman recommended that, in the future, in each individual case, decisions on admitting a person for observation include records of the physician’s evaluation of the probable fulfilment of the criteria laid down in the Mental Health Act. Follow-up: The hospital reported that it would expect its physicians to comply with the Ombudsman’s recommendation. Involuntary medication • Shortcomings were detected in the documentation of involuntary medication, as well as in the establishment of justified grounds for the practice. The Ombudsman stated that a physician may decide on the involuntary medication for a period of time specified in advance, but such a decision may be made for one day only, and the physician must, in the same juncture, decide on the specific nature of restrictive measures to be used during the administration.