It’s not just prisons that can be pinned down. The Comptroller General of Places of Deprivation of Liberty (CGLPL) denounces in a report published Thursday “serious malfunctions affecting the dignity of patients and their fundamental rights” in a public mental health establishment (EPSM) in La-Roche- sur-Yon (Vendée). “Patients, even admitted to free care, cannot come and go freely” in an establishment “not spared by very serious human resource difficulties”, noted the comptroller general.
“The protection of the physical integrity and privacy of patients is not ensured,” notes the report, giving the example of “three geriatric psychiatry units” (100 beds) where “patients cannot lock neither their room nor their sanitary space”. If the report notes that 18 positions of psychiatrists and 40 of nurses are “vacant”, the management ensures for its part that there is “no shortage of personnel” within the establishment.
Outings limited to “one hour a day”
Contacted by AFP, she assures that these positions “are occupied by contractual practitioners on fixed-term contracts and for some by temporary workers”. The Minister of Health François Braun notes for his part “10.7 psychiatrist posts (…) not filled by a holder or a contract worker on September 1” and “31 nursing posts not filled”, including 13 “vacant”, in his comments to the CGLPL.
The report lists “numerous, long-lasting and often illegal isolation and restraint measures” towards patients, for example outings limited to “one hour a day”. In addition, patient access to the liberty and detention judge (JLD) “is not guaranteed”, contrary to what the law provides.
An action plan
The management of the establishment indicates in a press release that it has “established an action plan taking up point by point the findings and recommendations of the CGLPL”. This plan includes “corrective measures” of which “several” have already been implemented, and others which will be “by the end of the first half of 2023”. According to the minister, “the installation of blackout film on the openings (windows or oculi) of the doors of the rooms” is “completed” in the three geriatric units, where locks “have been ordered”.
“It was also requested that the establishment very quickly initiate a reflection on the use of so-called secure rooms” and which can “be locked”, which “could indeed be considered as real isolation rooms”, says the minister.
The visit of the Georges Mazurelle Hospital Center by six controllers took place from June 27 to July 6. This EPSM has “822 beds and places including 341 hospital beds” according to the report. It employs 623 doctors and nurses, including 56 psychiatrists, according to management.