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Regarding treatment (paragraphs 32, 33):
As far as pharmacotherapy is concerned, the Ministry of Health has called upon Athina Vrilissia
Private Clinic (among other things mentioned above) to take immediate action in order to bring the
use of medication in line with modern medical standards and offer to patients a wider range of
treatment options, including psychosocial rehabilitation, counseling and psychotherapy. Same
instructions were addressed to Dromokaiteio Psychiatric Hospital by letter of 5-11-2018 regarding
overmedication. The Ministry of Health has requested both institutions to report back on the action
taken by the end of November.
Moreover, the Department of Mental Health has already officially proposed to set up Committees
which will monitor and evaluate in the next four years both the use of means of restraint and the use
of medication in all psychiatric institutions throughout the country (Psychiatric Hospitals, private
psychiatric institutions and Psychiatric Units of General Hospitals).
As far as individual treatment plans are concerned, it should be mentioned that there are already
protocols for the treatment of serious mental disorders (schizophrenia, bipolar disorders,
depression), which include algorithms for the pharmacotherapy needed.
Regarding the use of means of restraint (paragraphs 40, 41):
The Ministry of Health is committed to take action in order to monitor the implementation of the
instructions recently issued to all psychiatric establishments on the exceptional use of means of
restraint (including seclusion and chemical restraint), including the framework for recording and
reviewing. As mentioned above, the Department of Mental Health has already officially proposed to
set up Committees which will monitor and evaluate in the next four years both the use of means of
restraint and the use of medication in all psychiatric institutions throughout the country (Psychiatric
Hospitals, private psychiatric institutions and Psychiatric Units of General Hospitals).
It is also worth repeating that a ministerial decision was issued in September 2018 regarding the
training of the personnel of public psychiatric units, with funds from the National Strategic
Reference Framework 2017-2020, on verbal de-escalation techniques, in order to avoid resorting to
the use of restraints.
As far as private psychiatric clinics are concerned, the Secretary General’s Office has addressed a
document to private psychiatric institutions regarding the prohibition of the use of restraints, given
the fact that there is no clear legal basis at the moment for the involuntary placement of patients in
private psychiatric institutions.(As mentioned above, the new law on involuntary placement will
amend this situation).
Finally, the Ministry of Health has called both upon Dromokaiteio Psychiatric Hospital and Athina
Vrilissia private Clinic to follow the instructions and guidelines regarding the use of means of
restraint.
Regarding the periodic review of long-term patients (paragraphs 44):
The Ministry of Health is committed to take action in order to amend the current situation regarding
the periodic review of long-term patients.
Regarding complaints procedures (paragraph 51):
The Department of Mental Health is about to take the necessary steps in order to inform the
competent Offices for the Protection of the Rights of Health Services Recipients of Psychiatric and
General hospitals on the CPT’s recommendations regarding the complaints procedure.
Regarding the systematic monitoring of all psychiatric institutions (paragraph 52):
The Ministry of Health is already planning the establishment of an external supervisory body, with
the participation of W.H.O. professionals, in order to monitor and evaluate all mental health units
on a national basis.