General Overview

In several countries the topic of abuse is not specifically addressed in the context of residential care. Often, in these cases, provisions exist in the penal code, Constitution or other national plans that can apply. This is the case for example of the Czech Republic, Greece, Italy, Poland and Portugal. In the Netherlands and in Germany, abuse is also addressed in different documents (guidelines and Charter of Rights of people in need of long-term care respectively), but these recommendations are not binding. According to the legislation for health and social services in Finland, France, Lithuania, Slovenia and Turkey, any health care professional who is aware of any form of abuse (or suspects it) or of unfair treatment should immediately report it to the authorities. This also includes the staff working in residential care facilities. Also, there should be clear recording of any acci- dent that happens in the facility. In Lithuania and Turkey, the legislation also provides details of how the finances of the residents should be handled.

Requirements addressing the topic of abuse specifically in residential care facilities exist in Belgium (Flanders), Ireland, Malta, Romania and the UK.