On 24/01/2024, Deputy Ombudsman Dr Dijana Možina Zupanc participated at a meeting of the Committee on Labour, Family, Social Affairs and Disability, at which the issue of older people, primarily in retirement homes was discussed. She presented the basic findings recorded by the institution of the Ombudsman while considering complaints connected to older people, about which it also warns the competent authorities and reports to the National Assembly. “The institution of the Ombudsman dedicates much attention to this subject. Last year, we considered more complaints from this field, each of them is thoroughly studied, while we also open wider questions detected during our work,” said Deputy Ombudsman Dr Možina Zupanc. 

She added that last year, the Ombudsman received several different complaints reporting violence in retirement homes. Unfortunately, some of these are anonymous, which could indicate the fear of potential consequences for those filing complaints. “Each complaint was considered and inquiries sent to the retirement homes to which the complaints pertained and we handled all procedures in accordance with our competences. The Ombudsman also met with various other competent institutions and discussed the issue of the increasing number of complaints connected to violence or inhumane treatment of older people in retirement homes. He also wanted to familiarise himself with their findings and proposals and expressed his expectation that they will act united with the aim of preventing any kind of violence against older people,” explained Dr Možina Zupanc.

Regarding the position of service users and employees in retirement homes, the Ombudsman is also aware of a lack of staff, which often influences the inappropriate care for retirement home occupants. “The system as it is system not endurable; however, the state still does not have a suitable strategy for how to address this issue. We expect the bodies responsible to eliminate the lack of appropriate staff in retirement homes on the systemic level by establishing suitable staffing norms that would enable safe and quality treatment of users, the improvement of working conditions, and appropriate payment for the work done,” added the Deputy Ombudsman.

The Human Rights Ombudsman believes that the answer to a long-living society is deinstitutionalisation and not only an increase in the capacities of institutions or the construction of new retirement homes. Everybody should be able to get care in their home environment. As a society, we must provide quality and safe care directed towards a person and his or her needs.

The Deputy Ombudsman also stated that in Slovenia we urgently need so-called nursing hospitals, in which persons could be placed who are still ill but who have completed hospital treatment. Such people have difficulties finding a placement in institutional care, because retirement homes cannot provide appropriate healthcare for such people or are simply overcrowded. The core of the problem is therefore in the lack of appropriate accommodation capacities and staff, due to which, after being released from hospital, people cannot be placed in institutional care, while hospitals are pressuring their relatives to take the patient home even though they have neither the knowledge nor the means or room to provide the patient with appropriate care.

The Deputy Ombudsman emphasises that the system of institutional care for the elderly is in dire need of thorough updating. “The unendurable system only deepens the indecent ageing of people in this country. This trend needs to be stopped. A clear vision of all forms of help has to be set up and appropriately support it financially,” underlines Deputy Ombudsman Dr Dijana Možina Zupanc.

The Ombudsman has made a series of suggestions to the European Personnel Selection Office (EPSO) to improve how it carries out tests as part of the recruitment of new staff into the EU civil service.

In particular, the Ombudsman suggested EPSO assess how its requirement that tests be carried out remotely impacts equality of opportunity. Where EPSO is unable to address the negative implications of remote testing on equality of opportunity, it should ensure candidates have the possibility to take tests in physical testing centres.

The Ombudsman also suggested that EPSO make sure technical requirements do not disadvantage or prevent certain candidates from taking remote tests, ensure candidates have access to instructions on troubleshooting and filing a complaint during testing, and review its guidelines on complaint handing.

Highlighting that clear information can enhance acceptance of testing requirements, the Ombudsman called on EPSO to explain more clearly on its website why requirements concerning equipment and the candidate’s physical testing area are necessary.

The Ombudsman opened an own-initiative inquiry into this issue after receiving a significant number of complaints about a particular selection procedure. She subsequently received similar complaints related to other selection procedures organised by EPSO in which remote testing was used. Issues cited by complainants included difficulties with the technical and physical requirements, technical problems during the tests, and EPSO’s communication around the selection procedure.

El Departamento, que ha aceptado la recomendación del Ararteko, adoptará también las medidas necesarias que permitan la tramitación administrativa y la coordinación con otras entidades públicas a través de medios electrónicos

El Ararteko admitió a trámite una queja en la que un ciudadano mostraba su disconformidad con el rechazo de la Diputación Foral de Gipuzkoa a dos solicitudes presentadas a través del registro electrónico general.

El reclamante remitió, en representación de su padre, solicitudes de valoración de la discapacidad y la dependencia incluyendo los formularios y los documentos preceptivos para cumplir los requisitos de tramitación señalados en la página web informativa de la diputación.

Ambas solicitudes fueron rechazadas porque, según la Administración, en un caso no se utilizó el cauce adecuado, y en el otro, se desconocía el órgano destinatario o, en su defecto, se trataba de administraciones no integradas en el sistema de interconexión de registros.

El Ararteko recomendó a la Administración foral que admitiera las solicitudes presentadas por la persona reclamante a través del registro electrónico general, sin aplicar causas de rechazo no ajustadas a Derecho.
Además, pidió que habilitara los medios tecnológicos para tramitar los procedimientos administrativos electrónicos con los mismos efectos jurídicos que comporta el inicio a través de medios presenciales y que, de acuerdo con el principio de interoperabilidad, se desarrollaran las medidas tecnológicas y jurídicas que permitieran la transmisión de expedientes a otras administraciones públicas competentes.

La Diputación de Gipuzkoa ha informado al Ararteko que acepta la recomendación y que admitirá las solicitudes a través del registro electrónico de acuerdo con la normativa vigente. También explica que ha solicitado a sus servicios informáticos el desarrollo de un programa para poner en práctica esta posibilidad. Por último, comunica que “en su agenda prevé la personalización de la atención y, en consecuencia, su posible comunicación digital entre otros retos telemáticos y de interoperabilidad”.

Vitoria-Gasteiz, 29 de enero de 2024

Updated: January 24, 2024