From April 2003 the Department of Health took over budgetary responsibility from the Prison Service for health care in prisons. By April 2006 NHS Primary Care Trusts will commission all health services for prisoners and the first wave of 34 prisons came into NHS responsibility in April 2004, with the majority of the remaining prisons coming under NHS responsibility from April 2005.
The transfer of responsibility for healthcare includes implementing patient and public involvement (PPI) and the NHS complaints procedure across prison services. As NHS patients, prisoners are entitled to use the NHS complaints procedure.
As a result of this, several bodies must take into account the needs of prisoners. These include
- Patient Advice and Liaison Services (PALS)
- Independent Complaints Advocacy Services (ICAS)
- Patient and Pubic Involvement Forums (PPIFs).
The way ICAS services will support prisoners who want to complain about health care is under discussion at present and options are being explored. If you receive a request for support from a prisoner, please contact your line manager in the first instance who will advise you as to how to proceed with the complaint.
A report has been produced 'Options for Implementation of ICAS in Prisons' (Acrobat .pdf file 480k) commissioned by The Department of Health. The report sets out the results of a consultation on 5 options to enable ICAS providers to deliver their service to prisons.
The Disability Discrimination Act and prisons
The Prison Service (PS) has accepted liabilities under the Disability Discrimination Act (DDA) and has drawn up a guide setting out what is now expected of prisons.
The PS Disability Strategy sets out the obligations under the Act
Current Obligations
Staff
Part II of the DDA covers employment issues. This makes it unlawful to discriminate against a disabled person in terms of recruitment and selection; conditions of service; employment opportunities; and/or dismissal. It places a duty on employers to make reasonable adjustments to prevent circumstances where a disabled person may be disadvantaged. This can include adjustments to physical access, workstations and working patterns.
Prisoners & Visitors
Part III of the DDA – the provision of goods, facilities and services, gave service providers, such as the Prison Service, a duty to examine and amend all policies, practices and procedures that may be discriminatory on the grounds of disability. It also requires us to make reasonable adjustments to the service provided (this could mean supplying auxiliary aids, human assistance or by providing it by another means.). We have developed and issued policies that reflect the requiremApril 2, 2007nsure that disabled prisoners have equality of opportunity to access a range of facilities such as work, education and programmes and also respond sensitively to the particular needs of individual prisoners.
Prison service order: Prisoners with physical, mental and sensory disabilities
Part III of the Act applies to any person or any organisation or entity which is concerned with the provision in the United Kingdom of services (including goods and facilities) to the public or a section of the public. Similarly, the Act applies to disabled people who use, or seek to use, the services so provided, whether as customers, buyers, shoppers, consumers, clients, patrons or service users.
Department of Health Prison Health Webpages
Self Help Information
packs for prisons are available from:
East of England
ICAS
PO Box 201
Ely
CB7 9AB
Tel: 0845 456 4214
East Midlands
ICAS
PO Box 8519
Nottingham
NG8 9AB
Tel: 0845 045 0376
London
ICAS
PO Box 201
Ely
CB7 9AB
Tel: 0845 456 4214
North East
ICAS
PO Box 8519
Nottingham
NG8 9AB
Tel: 0845 122 8692
North West
ICAS
PO Box 8519
Nottingham
NG8 9AB
Tel: 0845 122 8692
South East
ICAS
Unit 3
Willowside Park
Canal Road
Trowbridge
Wiltshire
BA14 8RH
Tel: 0845 074 0044
South West
ICAS
Unit 3
Willowside Park
Canal Road
Trowbridge
Wiltshire
BA14 8RH
Tel: 0845 0700 878
West Midlands
ICAS
PO Box 201
Ely
CB7 9AB
Tel: 0845 456 4214
Yorkshire & The Humberside
ICAS
PO Box 8519
Nottingham
NG8 9AB
Tel: 0845 122 8692
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