to a doctor. This latter approach could be considered as a more efficient use of available resources. It is also desirable that a leaflet or booklet be handed to prisoners on their arrival, informing them of the existence and operation of the health care service and reminding them of basic measures of hygiene. Executive Penal Code (Dz.U. of 1997, No 90, item 557, as amended) Article 79b. (1) A convict admitted to a prion shall be placed in a temporary cell for a necessary period, however no longer than 14 days, to subject him to initial medical examination (...). Article 115 (1) A convict shall be provided free of charge health services, medications and sanitary articles (…) § 6. In particularly justified cases, Director of a penitentiary unit, having consulted a prison medical practitioner, may allow a convict, at his own expense, to be treated by a practitioner of choice, other than the one specified in Paragraph 4 and to use additonal medications and other medicinal products. During the visits, the National Preventive Mechanism paid particular attention to respecting the prisoners’ right to medical care and the functioning of prison outpatient clinics. As in the case of living conditions, the situation regarding the access of prisoners to health care varied. A factor limiting the access of prisoners to medical care is insufficient number of medical personnel employed in penitentiary establishments. In several establishments, the persons conducting the visit recommended to eliminate the shortage of staff employed at the position of doctors or nurses (PDC Warsaw-Grochów, PDC in Zielona Góra, Prison in Rzeszów-Załęże). On the other hand, prisoners raised reservations concerning the routine approach of medical practitioners to their health problems, their trivialisation and failure to take actions to better diagnose their health problems. Opinions that “a doctor examines only by looking at the patient” or performs a “remote examination” occurred. Prisoners also complained about long waiting periods for a visit to specialists and the lack of painkillers, as well as no access to vitamins (PDC in Wejherowo). Interviewd inmates stated that vitamins were unavailable at the canteen and doctors refused to hprovide them without clear medical indications. They also stated that they were not allowed to receive vitamins in parcels. A director of an outpatient clinic informed NPM representatives that she did not allow sending vitamins from the outside due to safety precautions, since it is virtually impossible to check the contents of pills. Therefore, the Mechanism recommended to provide prisoners with the possibility to purchase vitamins at the canteen. In the External Ward of the Pre-Trial Detention Centre in Choszczno NPM found the irregularity consisting in paying for HIV tests in case when a prisoner wants to undergo such tests on his own initiative. If such tests are performed on the unit’s initiative (e.g. after gaining significant information concerning the prisoner) - then they are performed at the unit's expense. In the view of the National Preventive Mechanism employees, denying prisoners the HIV tests or charging them for their performance is an improper practice. In accordance with the position of NPM representatives, as well as the General Director of the Prison Service (included in the letter sent to the Office of the Human Rights Defender on 17