Fundamental Rights Ombudsman calls for closure of psych ward

Budapest, July 30 (MTI) – The ombudsman for fundamental rights has asked the human resources ministry to close down a mental asylum in Budapest’s Merenyi Gusztav Hospital.

In his report, Laszlo Szekely described the facility as a place where security guards are employed to intimidate patients and where some patients are “tied to radiators”. The ombudsman also suggested that patients whose documented status no longer justifies treatment in a closed facility, should not be “kept in custody”.

The report, published on the ombudsman’s website, suggests that rules on involuntary hospitalisation and treatment of psychiatric patients should be changed.

The ministry has launched and investigation in wake of the report.

The hospital said in a statement on Thursday that in cooperation with its supervising body, the State Health Services Centre, an action plan is being prepared to discontinue the shortcomings revealed by the ombudsman.

Source: http://mtva.hu/hu/hungary-matters