Informe del Defensor del Pueblo sobre abusos en psiquiatría
The Defender of the People issued a report on the Hestia sanatorium in Robda, a private psychiatric facility against a worker. The document, published on Thursday by «El País», was written after an inspection by a technical team that took place in September of last year, when there were 94 internal persons, in a mental health program to verify the conditions of those who are the ones who are the people admitted to this hospital that has organized services with the Galiciate Servazo de Saúde (Sergas).
The sources consulted by Europe Press reveal that there are currently 26 public patients derived from the oak. After this report, the Defender of the People, an institution led by Ángel Gabilondo, makes a series of recommendations and suggestions both for the autonomous administration and for the company’s titleholder to correct all deficiencies and protocols detected.
The technicians describe how the average overall stay in La Robda is approximately 187 days, above the average in psychiatry in Galicia. There are even patients who have been involuntarily «despite their clinical stability».
The Defender of the People also emphasizes that the staff relationships «are not considered adequate». For example, at the time of the inspection, there was only one psychologist to attend to the 94 patients.
The shocked team confirmed that the disciplinary regime has «punishments», which «are not very therapeutic». In fact, it was surprised that an assistant used the word «punishment» to refer to the retention of one of the grieving.
Beyond this, «there is no well-established and operational protocol» to report violence and abuse, but it is managed through the social worker, the mechanical content-even and in the room itself «a common practice» and that some can last the following days, even without the patient in question.
«It could be corroborated in one of the medical documents, not being an isolated case, a nine-day isolation, followed by another three days of home isolation. This implies a serious violation of the basic rights of the admitted persons,» the technicians indicate the point outside.
Along with this, home isolations are practiced in a «very common» way, without being collected in the hospital documents and without «any legal support».
In this context, there is a case of a patient who, according to his evolutionary file, said he «suffered episodes of sexual abuse» by a worker who subjected him to his intimate parts and insulted him physically.
Furthermore, in the analysis of the medical history of another patient, he touched the chest with the same woman. However, there is no mention in his file. It is worth noting that, in neither of the two cases, the appropriate abuse protocol was activated.
Regarding pharmacological treatments, it was found that «a large number» received «antipsychotic and other class» medications and others were offered «outside the technical file».
In fact, «in practically all interviews» with questions about the treatment given to admitted persons, «nobody knew» what they were taking. There is «no plan to reduce or rationalize pharmacological treatment».
The technicians describe a «discriminatory treatment» in access to technological devices between those admitted to the psychiatric modules and to the socio-health module: «Given that there are people admitted for more than 20 years, the lack of use of technology is a clear violation of rights».
The report from the Defender of the People also denounces the violation of the right to confidentiality and privacy with the presence of surveillance cameras in some rooms and the intention to expand the coverage area to all rooms. This is done in a «particularly irregular» manner, as it is not recorded in any of the central operation documents.
It is also noted that minors were identified and that two rooms were closed on the second floor «to create a false differentiated space». Therefore, the minor in question had «little more than his room and a small common room», without access to the rest of the center with the same freedom as the other people.
Regarding the facilities, the report highlights that they are «clean and well maintained», but criticizes the fact that the hospital itself is «in a rural enclave isolated by urban centers, which makes it difficult to develop a psychosocial rehabilitation plan that refers to the pleasure of a normal autonomous and socialized life.»
Although the regulation of Robda states that community insertion is «part of its approach», it is noted that there is also no «specific procedure to design an individualized rehabilitation plan for each patient».
After this devastating report, BNG has already confirmed that it will request «responsibilities» in the Xunta from the Parliament regarding the «very serious situation» of this psychiatric or pine and censures that it has «public funds» in the sense that it has agreed with Sergas.
In the words of the nationalist deputy Iria Carreira, these facts described by the Defender of the People «show a little concern» to the Galician government for mental health and psychiatric patients. The block demands «measures» so that this is not repeated, «neither in a private center, nor in a single concert, and even less in a public center.»
In this sense, precisely, the Ministry of Health, Antonio Gómez Caamaña, confirmed that his department «evaluates» the Defender of the People’s document «to see the actual events» spoken on Thursday.
«It is clear that we must also guarantee medical care for patients referred to these types of entities,» said Gómez Caamaña, who also advanced that the Xeral subdirectory «is working on a framework agreement» for the tendering of the services that these entities offer to Sergas and will include the recommendations made by the defender.
According to sources consulted by Europe Press in the health department, this framework agreement will have «updated protocols» for the prevention of thirty years, in public hospitals and to detect abuse and mistreatment, among other improvements.
Finally, Health points out that the Defender of the People «only establishes a series of recommendations» both for Adsinstire and for the company and that «in no case is there any action in the criminal field».
FUENTE
