On Friday 6 March, the High Court refused permission for the judicial review sought by the Charity Commission in relation to two investigations we completed in March 2024. PHSO investigated complaints about how the Commission handled concerns regarding serious safeguarding issues of sexual exploitation and child sex abuse at two separate charities.

Our investigations uncovered several failings, including around the Commission’s decision-making and its communication with the complainants, Mr Murray and Miss Hall. We recommended that the Commission apologise, provide financial redress to both complainants and take action to stop the same failures from being repeated. This included reviewing its handling of these two cases and the original decisions, as well as its risk assessment and communication guidance.  

In March 2025, after failing to reach agreement with the Commission on compliance with our recommendations, PHSO took the rare decision to lay the reports before Parliament so that Parliament could hold the Commission to account. The Commission issued legal proceedings to prevent the reports from being laid. Following a successful motion in the House of Commons, the reports were laid in September 2025. 

The Court recognised that our original findings identified failings with the Commission’s decision-making. It also acknowledged that our recommendation for the Commission to undertake a review of its decision was intended to remedy the injustice experienced by Mr Murray and Miss Hall. 

In our submission to the Court, we said that the Commission needed to take into account relevant considerations (which can include allegations of inappropriate behaviour) when making an assessment of risk in a safeguarding context.  The judgment was clear that a criminal conviction is not a necessary condition to disqualification or, therefore, to regulatory action by the Commission. The Judge accepted PHSO’s submissions and found the claim to be academic and legally unarguable.

In its judgment, the Court also made clear that the outcome of the Commission’s review of the handling of Miss Hall’s case needed to be communicated to her.  

The Court also recognised that PHSO’s role is to hold public bodies to account, including where organisations fail to comply with our recommendations. It confirmed that our decision to lay reports does not require a new complaint of maladministration in addition to the finding of failings as part of the original investigation.   

A PHSO spokesperson said: 

One of our roles is to hold public bodies to account, acting on behalf of Parliament. This is an important principle to uphold, and the Court’s decision supports that principle by refusing the Charity Commission's request for permission to judicially review. 

 

“Our reports were laid before Parliament after failing to reach agreement on compliance with the Charity Commission. 

 

“At the heart of what might seem like a matter of process are two people, Miss Hall and Mr Murray, who have suffered significant injustice. Securing resolution for the complainants remains the priority, alongside making sure the lessons identified in our investigations are implemented. 

 

 “While the Charity Commission has made some changes after our original reports, we hope the Commission will now focus on working constructively to fully comply with our recommendations and provide the assurance that the public are entitled to expect.” 

Für Menschen mit psychischen Erkrankungen ist es besonders wichtig, dass der Übergang von der stationären Behandlung in den psychiatrischen Abteilungen der Krankenhäuser zur Nachbetreuung bei niedergelassenen Fachärzt*innen und ambulanten Nachbetreuung gut funktioniert. Volksanwalt Bernhard Achitz fordert daher ein besseres Entlassungsmanagement.

„Klappt die Anschlussversorgung nicht, ist der Behandlungserfolg in Gefahr“, sagte Volksanwalt Bernhard Achitz bei einem Pressegespräch am 11. März 2026. Wird die Behandlung abgebrochen, verschlechtert sich Zustand der Patient*innen, uns sie müssen bald wieder im Spital behandelt werden – bekannt unter dem Stichwort „Drehtürpsychiatrie“. Manche Patient*innen müssen länger als notwendig im Spital bleiben, weil Angebote für die Betreuung, etwa spezialisierte Wohngruppen fehlen. 

Kommissionen besuchten 56 psychiatrische Abteilungen

Die Volksanwaltschaft und ihre Kommissionen (zusammen der Nationale Präventionsmechanismus NPM) haben daher einen Prüfschwerpunkt zum Thema „Entlassungsmanagement“ gestartet. Die Erhebungskriterien wurden gemeinsam mit dem Menschenrechtsbeirat (MRB) und dem Institut für empirische Sozialforschung (IFES) entwickelt. 2024 und 2025 besuchten die Kommissionen dann bundesweit 56 stationäre psychiatrische Abteilungen: 13 Abteilungen für Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie (KJP), eine Abteilung für Transitionspsychiatrie (TP), 36 Abteilungen für Erwachsenenpsychiatrie (EP) und 6 Abteilungen für Gerontopsychiatrie (GP).

Die Kommissionsmitglieder fragten das Personal bzw. die Leitungsteam nach klarer und effizienter Gestaltung der Dokumentations- und Informationsflüsse. Patient*innen wurden nach ihrer Zufriedenheit und nach ihrer Einschätzung des Empowerments gefragt.

Ein Drittel wird zum falschen Zeitpunkt aus der Psychiatrie entlassen

„Fast ein Drittel aller Patient*innen wird nicht zum richtigen Zeitpunkt aus der Psychiatrie entlassen“, kritisiert Volksanwalt Achitz. Rund 69 % der Patient*innen werden aus fachärztlicher Sicht zum angemessenen Zeitpunkt entlassen, rund 18 % später als medizinisch indiziert, rund 13 % früher als medizinisch indiziert.

Vorzeitige Entlassungen können dazu führen, dass die Patient*innen schon bald erneut aufgenommen werden müssen. Verspätete Entlassungen bedeuten neben Belastungen für die Betroffenen auch erhöhte Kosten, aber auch längere Wartezeiten für andere Patient*innen, die den Spitalsplatz dringend brauchen würden. 

Grund für eine spätere Entlassung als medizinisch indiziert ist oft, dass woanders keine geeignete Betreuungsoption verfügbar ist (sehr häufig 35 % bzw. häufig 56 %). 

Prekäre Lage vor allem am Land und in der Kinder- und Jugendpsychaitrie

In der Kinder- und Jugendpsychiatrie ist die Versorgungslage seit Jahren prekär. Aufgrund von Personalmangel mussten etwa in der Abteilung in der Klinik Hietzing Betten gesperrt werden. Im Burgenland gab es überhaupt keine eigene Station für Kinder und Jugendliche. Eine gravierende Versorgungslücke herrscht auch bei der Behandlung von Menschen mit Essstörungen wie Magersucht, vor allem für - meist weibliche - Erwachsene, zeigte Psychologe und Diakonie-Sozialexperte Martin Schenk auf. Was auch fehlt, sind Pflegeheimplätze für chronisch psychisch erkrankte ältere Patienten sowie Plätze in Rehabilitationskliniken. Besonders prekär sei die Situation auch von wohnungs- bzw. obdachlosen Psychiatriepatientinnen und -patienten. Grundsätzlich sei die Versorgung in den großen Städten besser als auf dem Land, meinte Schenk, der auch Mitglied des Menschenrechtsbeirats der Volksanwaltschaft ist. „Leider weist nichts darauf hin, dass die Bundesländer systematische Strategien verfolgen würden, um anhand von Daten genau zu erheben, was fehlt, und die Lücken zu schließen“, bedauert Achitz: „Wir brauchen eine Versorgungsforschung, die die Bedürfnisse chronisch psychisch Kranker berücksichtigt. Und die sich am aktuellen Wissensstand der Soziologie, der Psychiatrie und der Psychotherapie orientiert.“

Ein Drittel der Patient*innen von psychiatrischen Krankenhäusern wird zur falschen Zeit entlassen. Das stellte sich bei einem Prüfschwerpunkt der Volksanwaltschaft zum Entlassungsmanagement heraus.

Prüfschwerpunkt Psychiatrie - Ergebnisse und Empfehlungen der Volksanwaltschaft

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Human Rights Ombudswoman Dr Simona Drenik Bavdek and Deputy Ombudsmen Dr Dijana Možina Zupanc and Ivan Šelih, together with their colleagues, met today with the Director General of the Prison Administration of the Republic of Slovenia (URSIKS), Denis Peršet, and his colleagues, as well as representatives of representative trade unions of employees in the judiciary – the President of the Trade Union of Workers in the Judiciary, Tomaž Virnik, and the President of the Trade Union of State Authorities of Slovenia, Frančišek Verk. They discussed the staffing situation in prison establishments and possible solutions to the shortage of prison officers and other staff in prison establishments.

The Human Rights Ombudsman (the Ombudsman) has been drawing attention to prison-related issues in the country for several years. Problems arise both when dealing with initiatives from prisoners and during visits to prison establishments within the framework of the National Preventive Mechanism (NPM). Staff shortages are reflected in the increased workload of employees, overtime work becoming the rule rather than the exception, and greater stress among staff, which affects both the provision of security and the exercise of prisoners’ rights.

It is particularly worrying that staff shortages are leading to the cancellation of escorts of prisoners to courts, healthcare institutions and other external institutions. According to the Supreme Court of the Republic of Slovenia, almost 3,000 hearings and trials were cancelled in 2025 due to the cancellation of escorts. In addition to the unacceptable prolongation of court proceedings, the cancellation of escorts also results in more difficult access to healthcare services for prisoners.

The Ombudsman supports the efforts of URSIKS and both trade unions to improve the situation of prison officers, enhance their professional standing and, in principle, conclude a separate collective agreement. Ombudswoman Dr Drenik Bavdek emphasises the need for further systemic measures to ensure a sufficient number of employees in the prison system, as this is crucial both for the safety of staff and for respect for the rights of prisoners, as well as for the smooth functioning of the judicial system. “We will continue to pay particular attention to developments in this area, especially with regard to the situation of women and minors in the prison system,” emphasises the Ombudswoman.

In a conversation with Denis Peršet, Director General of URSIKS, representatives of the Ombudsman also addressed the situation in the only women’s prison in Slovenia, located in Ig, which has become increasingly concerning over the past year. Particular attention was drawn to the treatment of prisoners with intellectual disabilities, which can seriously jeopardise their personal safety as well as their physical and mental integrity and may, in the Ombudsman’s opinion, reach the threshold of inhuman or degrading treatment within the meaning of Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The Ombudsman has been drawing attention to this issue for several months through the National Preventive Mechanism and expects both swift individual solutions and systemic regulation of such situations.

Si rafforza il dialogo tra istituzioni e amministrazioni locali nel segno della tutela dei diritti dei cittadini. È stato infatti sottoscritto presso il Consiglio regionale del Lazio il Protocollo d’intesa tra il Difensore Civico della Regione Lazio e ANCI Lazio, con l’obiettivo di sviluppare una collaborazione stabile tra la difesa civica e i Comuni del territorio.

L’intesa punta a rafforzare il ruolo della difesa civica come strumento di garanzia e di mediazione tra cittadini e pubblica amministrazione, favorendo al tempo stesso una maggiore diffusione delle opportunità di tutela e di partecipazione democratica.

Alla firma del protocollo erano presenti numerosi rappresentanti istituzionali, tra cui il Presidente del Consiglio regionale del Lazio Antonello Aurigemma, la Segretaria Generale del Consiglio regionale Giosy Pierpaola Tomasello, Donato Robilotta, Direttore della Conferenza delle Assemblee legislative delle Regioni e delle Province autonome italiane, il Consigliere regionale Mario Ciarla, Daniele Sinibaldi, Presidente di ANCI Lazio e Sindaco di Rieti, Manuel Magliocchetti, componente del Direttivo di ANCI Lazio e Segretario generale di Federsanità Lazio, e Luca Masi, Segretario generale di ANCI Lazio.