BackBetween 21 and 22 April 2016, experts from Ombudsman Institutions of South Eastern Europe gathered in Salzburg.
The Austrian Ombudsman Board in its role as the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM) has taken over the annual rotating chairmanship of the SEE NPM Network and invited various NPM experts. The meeting in Salzburg was organized in close cooperation with the Austrian Institute of Human Rights.
For this year’s meetings, the Austrian NPM decided to concentrate on the topic “Standards in health care institutions and homes for the elderly”. The discussion focused in particular on the difficulties of people with dementia, as well as problems arising in the context of medication based deprivation of liberty.
Due to the lack of binding international standards the monitoring of health care institutions and homes for the elderly is a major challenge for NPMs. “The SEE NPM Network’s goal is to start developping common standards for health care institutions and homes for the elderly.“, Ombudsman Mr. Günther Kräuter pointed out.
The participants exchanged their own practical experience gathered during previous visits to social welfare institutions. In addition to an improvement of the conditions within homes for the elderly, the importance of aging within the own community was emphasised. Presentations by the Croatian and Austrian representatives pointed out the interplay of legal and professional standards in the field of medicine, nursing and social work. Furthermore, representatives of the pharmacists association informed the participants about good practice examples in medication management.
The SEE NPM Network was established in the beginning of 2013. The Austrian Ombudsman Board joined in October 2013. The network is still the only regional NPM network in Europe that meets regularly. The Network enables a close cooperation with NPM representatives from Albania, Austria, Bulgaria, Croatia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, Slovenia and since recently also Hungary. The network’s purpose is the exchange of experience and the mutual support regarding the implementation of the NPM mandate specified in the Optional Protocol to the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (OPCAT) in the region. The network provides a great forum where knowledge and experiences regarding human rights standards and monitoring are shared.
For more information on the chair of the SEE NPM Network, please click here.
Source: Austrian Ombudsman Board
