6(B)(viii). Lnáře Psychiatric Hospital

The director of Lnáře Psychiatric Hospital told the monitoring team that staff rarely use restraints, and that only “in extreme cases” is one of the hospital’s four cage beds, straps or a straightjacket used. Cage beds are the “most humane form of restraint”, he said, because, “a person is free to move there.” Patients who are “acute psychotic patients, who attack other patients or harm themselves” could be placed in a cage bed for up to 24 hours. If the aggression persists the patient was transferred to Dobřany Psychiatric Hospital.

The other group of cage bed occupants were patients with dementia who were caged during the night if they were restless. The director told MDAC that elderly women could “weave themselves out” of the netted cage. Doctors reportedly always authorised the use of cage beds, and any use by a voluntary patient would be reported to the court under provisions of the Civil Procedure Code. A nurse on duty said cage beds are usually used as ordinary beds and are unlocked, adding that having been a nurse for 30 years, she considered cage beds “a bit dated”.

In an older patients’ ward, MDAC monitors saw a room with six beds, one of which – a cage bed – was not currently in use. Other beds on this ward had rails to stop patients falling out. Some of these beds had hoists (like the hanging strap used in a tram) to help patients sit up and/or get out of bed. The team were also shown a room with 4 beds – one of which was a cage bed, which had its front open. The room was fully occupied by elderly male patients, sleeping after lunch, including in the open cage bed.