The ombudsman has inspected all the psychiatric hospitals in Albania as well as the Special Health Institute for Prisoners where he found a lack of specialist doctors and support staff for the treatment of people receiving hospital services.

“It is necessary to increase the quotas for specialists in psychiatry immediately and in the following years, reformulate the employment criteria for the clinical functions ‘caretaker’ and ‘task force’, with nursing education and in-depth knowledge in hospital psychiatric rehabilitation, as well as with age and physical ability suitable for the management of agitation and high risk, as well as the training of current employees,” said the People’s Advocate.

Psychiatry turns out to be one of the favorite branches of young doctors, out of 15 quotas opened by the ministry, 13 have been filled, 5 are in psychiatry for children and teenagers.

The People’s Advocate has also recommended the placement of security cameras in the common areas of psychiatric hospitals, the provision of necessary medical materials and the addition of safety conditions for the medical staff, who in the opinion of the advocate are always at risk.