5 The Ministry of Health has requested Athina Vrilissia Private Clinic to report back on the action taken by the end of November. Regarding the systemic overcrowding of the Psychiatric Units of General Hospitals (paragraphs 21, 26): The aforementioned new Circular regarding the referral and transition of mental health patients to community-based Psychosocial Rehabilitation Units (boarding houses, hostels and sheltered apartments) aims to facilitate the distribution of mental health patients in appropriate communitybased Units. It is worth mentioning that the new Circular, unlike the one currently in effect, stipulates an integrated framework for the referral and transition to community-based Units not only of long-term patients from Psychiatric Hospitals, but also of patients from General Hospitals as well as the community. Meanwhile, a systematic monitoring of community-based Units vacancies ensures the placement of patients in given free places according to their profile without delay. Finally, the upcoming development of a considerable number of new community-based Units (11 boarding houses for long-term patients of psychiatric hospitals, 4 boarding houses for patients suffering from autism and 2 more specialized boarding houses) with funds from the National Strategic Reference Framework 2017-2020 will further assist addressing the problem of overcrowded Psychiatric Units of hospitals. However, it must be said that, unfortunately, the overall capacity of the community-based Units will most likely continue to fall short of the relevant demand. Regarding Evangelismos General Hospital (paragraphs 18, 27, 28): The Department of Mental Health is monitoring the action taken by Evangelismos General Hospital regarding a) the transfer of long-term patients who have been at the Unit for long periods to community-based units, b) the unacceptable practice of placing bedridden and/or restrained patients in the corridor, and c) the access of mental health patients to a suitable outdoor exercise area. By letter of 30-10-2018, the Hospital’s management has informed the Department of Mental health on the progress made so far on these matters, as following: a) Two patients have been transferred to community-based Units heretofore. (The transfer of the three remaining patients depends on the vacancies of available community-based Units). b) Patients with impaired functionality are accommodated in hospital rooms. c) Mental health patients have access to the hospital’s garden when possible (according to doctors’ authorization), given the fact that the Psychiatric Unit lies on the 9th floor. Regarding Gennimatas General Hospital (paragraphs 27, 30): The Ministry of Health has called upon the management of Gennimatas General Hospital to make sure patients of the Psychiatric Unit have access to the gardens of the Hospital and are offered a wider range of activities. The Ministry of Health has requested the hospital to report back on the action taken by the end of November. It should be mentioned that the Department of Mental Health is planning to propose to the Mental Health Committee of the Central Health Council to draft a Circular regarding the access of patients to outdoor exercise in psychiatric institutions. Regarding staff shortages (paragraph 31): The Secretary General’s Office in collaboration with the Department of Mental Health have diligently recorded the current staff shortages in the context of an Action Plan including nationwide data on Mental Health Units (“Sectorized Planning of Mental Health Units Development”), in order to prioritize the needs in the light of the strict austerity measures.