- 48 78.
In light of the fact that Nafplio Prison has offered no activities since the end of 2012 and has
no space in which to offer education, work or vocational programmes, the CPT considers that the
four dormitories in C wing should be converted into workshops and classrooms. While this would
reduce the official capacity to 216 (72 cells x 3 persons), it would provide adequate space for a
range of activities to be organised. The CPT has repeatedly stated that prisoners should not spend
their days in idleness but be offered a full range of programmes to prepare them for their return to
the community. The warehousing approach at Nafplio Prison should be ended and a proper regime
of purposeful activities put in place.
The CPT recommends that the Greek authorities give due consideration to the above
proposal and that a full programme of activities (work, vocation, recreation, sports) be
introduced. If the closing down of all four dormitories is not considered feasible, the CPT
wishes to be informed of the alternative measures being taken to provide prisoners with
purposeful activities.
4.
Health-care services
79.
In its previous reports, the CPT has urged the Greek authorities to re-examine the general
state of health-care services in prison establishments given the widespread deficiencies regarding
access to health care, medical screening upon admission, medical confidentiality and health-care
policy regarding drug abuse. These problematic issues are compounded by the severe shortage of
health-care staff in the prisons and the complete lack of integrated management of health-care
services.
The situation found in 2015 clearly demonstrated that there had been no improvement since
the previous visits in 2011 and 2013, and that in certain establishments the situation was worse. The
CPT considers that the Ministries of Justice and Health need to carry out jointly a thorough audit of
health-care services in prisons within six months to determine what is required in terms of staff
resources and facilities. Further, they should put in place a proper management structure and clear
care protocols as well as a rigorous inspection system. Moreover, the CPT considers that greater
involvement of the Ministry of Health in the provision of prison health-care services and in
promoting proper through-care is essential.
In their communication of 30 June 2015, the Ministry of Justice informed the CPT that a
working group had been formed to improve health-care and psychiatric provisions for prisoners in
cooperation with the Ministry of Health. Further, a committee was actively working on the
integration of Korydallos Prison Hospital and Psychiatric Hospital into the National Health System
(E.S.Y.).
The CPT welcomes these steps and, as part of this process, it recommends that the
Ministries of Justice and Health jointly review the state of health-care services in prison
establishments and draw up a detailed plan to ensure that prisons meet the general principle
of equivalence of care.54 A copy of the plan should be provided to the CPT by the end of
January 2016 at the latest.
54
A prison health-care service should be able to provide medical treatment and nursing care, as well as appropriate
diets, physiotherapy, rehabilitation or any other necessary special facility, in conditions comparable to those enjoyed
by patients in the wider community. Provision of medical, nursing and technical staff, as well as premises,
installations and equipment, should be geared up accordingly.
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