3 HELLENIC REPUBLIC MINISTRY OF HEALTH REPORT TO THE GREEK GOVERNMENT ON THE VISIT TO GREECE CARRIED OUT BY THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR THE PREVENTION OF TORTURE AND INHUMAN OR DEGRADING TREATMENT OR PUNISHMENT (CPT) FROM 10 TO 19 APRIL 2018 Comments of the Ministry of Health Regarding cooperation and the obligation of national authorities to assist the work of CPT (paragraph 7): The Ministry of Health and the Department of Mental Health have made every possible effort to facilitate the delegation’s visit within their competence and provide the information requested so far in a timely and accurate manner. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by poor cooperation between the ministries due to Easter holiday season at the time of the particular visit and would like to assure the Committee that every effort will be made on our part to avoid such an unfortunate occurrence in the future. Regarding the drafting of the new law governing involuntary hospitalization (paragraphs 11, 19, 43, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49): The drafting of the new law on involuntary psychiatric placement is under way. The new draft law has already integrated the CPT’s recommendations regarding the following:  Guarantees of independence, impartiality and objective medical expertise. The draft law stipulates that two separate psychiatric opinions should be provided, including reasoned diagnostic information, as specified in a relevant diagnosis template. (paragraph 43).  Ensuring patients benefit in practice from the right to be heard in person by the court during placement or appeal procedures, by holding hearings in psychiatric institutions (paragraph 45).  Providing patients in an appropriate way with full, clear and accurate information including their rights, information on legal assistance etc, as well as a copy of any court decision on their involuntary placement or other information on their legal status (paragraph 46). The draft law also stipulates free of charge legal assistance for patients who need it (paragraph 47).  Time limitations applied to provisional placement measures (paragraph 48).  Furthermore, before its finalization, the new draft law will integrate the CPT’s recommendations regarding a clearer legal basis for involuntary placement/treatment in a private health care institution (paragraph 19), as well as safeguards against unnecessary involuntary placements. Regarding the more appropriate placement of patients suffering from mental disability (paragraph 20): According to the new draft law on involuntary placement, patients suffering from mental disability cannot be subject to involuntary hospitalization. Furthermore, the Department of Mental Health is currently working on a new Circular regarding the referral and transition of mental health patients to Psychosocial Rehabilitation Units (boarding houses, hostels and sheltered apartments), which stipulates the referral of patients to appropriate community-based Units according to an assessment