UK
Prisons transfer health services to local PCTs
By DH, UK
Apr 1, 2005, 17:30

Most prisons will transfer responsibility for commissioning health services to their local primary care trusts (PCTs) a year ahead of schedule, Community Minister Stephen Ladyman announced today.

In this second wave of transfers, 86 prisons will have their healthcare services commissioned by 63 local PCTs from 1 April 2005.

This represents a significant stage in the process to bring improve prisoners� health services. Effective health care can make a significant contribution to the health of individuals, as well as improve their capacity to benefit from education, drug treatment and other programmes.

Community Minister Stephen Ladyman said:

"Ninety per cent of all prisoners have a diagnosable mental health problem, substance misuse problem or both. Prisons offer a unique opportunity to tackle these problems.

"We have already introduced a new system of health screening for prisoners on arrival at prison and we have already met our NHS Plan commitment to have over 300 additional staff working in NHS mental health prison in-reach teams."

"We know that there is more to be done but are confident that with increased involvement from the NHS that services will improve."

The first wave of transfers, completed in April 2004, saw 18 local NHS partnerships assume responsibility for 34 prisons. The Home Office deadline for having all prisoner health care commissioned by local PCTs is 1 April 2006.

Paul Goggins, Minister for Prisons and Probation, said:

"We are committed to providing prisoners with access to the same quality and range of health services as the general public, and this is best delivered by transferring responsibility for healthcare in prisons to the NHS

"I am delighted that so many PCTs/prison partnerships are ready to transfer a year ahead of schedule. This demonstrates the strength of the local partnerships and the desire by those in both the Prison Service and the NHS to provide a better standard of health care to people who find themselves in prison."

The four remaining prisons will be working towards transferring responsibility by April 2006.

The transfer of commissioning applies to health services in the public sector prisons in England. General health services in the 11 privately contracted prisons in England and Wales are part of the overall contract with the Home Office. In Wales strong partnerships have developed between the prisons and the local health boards and commissioning for the public sector prisons in Wales is expected to transfer to the local health boards in April 2006.


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