CZECH REPUBLIC: THE USE OF CAGED BEDS FOR CHILDREN IN PSYCHIATRIC TREATMENT CENTRES IS TO BE PROHIBITED

Record ID: 676458

  • Title: CZECH REPUBLIC: THE USE OF CAGED BEDS FOR CHILDREN IN PSYCHIATRIC TREATMENT CENTRES IS TO BE PROHIBITED
  • Date: 17th July 2004
  • Summary: (EU) RABY, 120 KM NORTH OF PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC (JULY 14, 2004) (REUTERS) SLV CARE HOME IN RABY; PATIENT BEHIND WINDOW; ROOM WITH CAGED BEDS; MV NURSE BRINGING PATIENT MARTIN SAMUHEL INTO BED, CLOSING CAGE DOORS; SCU TOY IN BED RABY CARE HOME DIRECTOR JAN SLEZAK EXAMINING MARTIN (SOUNDBITE) (Czech) DIRECTOR JAN SLEZAK SAYING: "The kids spend time in the caged beds onl
  • Embargoed: 1st August 2004 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: RABY AND PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC
  • Country: Czech Republic
  • Topics: General,Health,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA3GC0Y16V9BISSBGZ3X1D35G5J
  • Story Text: Czech Republic announces it will end use of caged beds for children in psychiatric treatment centres.
    The Czech Republic said it will remove caged beds from psychiatric facilities on Tuesday (July 13, 2004), after renowned Harry Potter author JK Rowling sent a letter to the country's president .
    "The President believes that this decision to prohibit these caged beds will stop irresponsible criticism of the quality of the health care and encourage protection of human dignity in the Czech Republic," presidential spokesman Petr Hajek told reporters on Wednesday (June 14).
    Beds with metal cage bars, used to restrain patients in some psychiatric facilities, have long been condemned by human rights groups, the European Union and the United Nations.
    The Czech health ministry said it would immediately remove the beds from hospital wards across the country and the Health Minister offered an apology to his country.
    "I have made two errors, I though that there were so few beds that it didn't matter, and the second is that I thought the decision to prohibit the beds would increase the view that there was something wrong with health care in the Czech Republic. I didn't think about these things and evaluate them correctly. I therefore apologise for it,"
    Health Minster Jozef Kubinyi said.
    Author JK Rowling wrote a letter calling for an end to the practice to Czech President Vaclav Klaus and outgoing Prime Minister Vladimir Spidla.
    In the Czech Republic, children as well as adults are sometimes restrained in caged beds. Some Czech psychiatrists insist they are needed to protect patients and carers.
    At a care centre in Raby, some 120 kilometres from the capital Prague, several caged beds are still used for severely handicapped children.
    The four-year-old centre has 92 patients, 14 of whom are less than 18 years old.
    Director Jan Slezak says the beds are used only for 8 of the centre's children, and only when there is no alternative.
    "The kids spend time in the caged beds only when necessary. It's so that they will not injure themselves or other patients," Slezak said.
    Some staff said also they believed the beds were a good alternative to tranquillising medication.
    "We want to help them get better, not hurt them and sometimes its better than using medication", said nurse Petra Senkerikova.
    Czech authorities say there are around 20 caged beds and 100 net-covered beds in use in psychiatric wards around the country.
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