HC Deb 03 December 2002 vol 395 cc747-8
9. Dr. Andrew Murrison (Westbury)

What recent assessment he has made of the health of prisoners. [82625]

The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Health (Mr. David Lammy)

Since 2000, all prison service establishments and their NHS partners are expected to complete prison health needs assessments and prison health action plans. These identify, on a regular basis, the services required to meet prisoners' health needs.

Dr. Murrison

In a series of written answers, Home Office Ministers have shown themselves to have a lamentably low grip on the mental health of people in our penal institutions. I welcome Health Ministers' assumption of some of that role from April this year. What plans do they have for improving the mental health of people in prisons, particularly for increasing the rate of prescription of atypical antipsychotics? Can they assure the House that there will be the necessary transfer of funds from the Home Office to the NHS?

Mr. Lammy

The use of antipsychotic drugs is being considered by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence. However, our mental health strategy, published in December, makes it clear that all prisons and their NHS partners should review annually their mental health needs and develop action plans to deal with them. At the same time, the NHS has funded mental health inreach teams; the number will rise from the current 22 to 70 by April 2004. Of course, that takes money and investment, and I wish that the hon. Gentleman's party would match our investment in that regard.

Dr. Brian Iddon (Bolton, South-East)

We heard on "Newsnight" last night from Mr. Hellawell's assistant, Mike Trace, that the £50 million allocated to the prison service for drug treatment is not getting through. Will my hon. Friend carry out an audit and ensure that that money gets through?

Mr. Lammy

It is getting through. Some 25,000 initial assessments have been undertaken and there are 60 intensive drug treatment programmes, plus additional funds, announced this morning in the drugs strategy.

Tim Loughton (East Worthing and Shoreham)

The Minister should be aware that in the first six months of this year, the prison suicide rate increased by an alarming 40 per cent. Figures show that 70 per cent. of prisoners may be suffering from some form of personality disorder, yet the medical inspector of the inspectorate of prisons, John Reed, called care for mentally disordered offenders in prison a disgrace. Does the Minister agree that a prison spell should be an opportunity to administer proper treatment for mental illness, not to make it worse? When the ill-fated mental health Bill re-emerges, will he make sure that it focuses on providing appropriate and early mental health treatment and care for prisoners and other citizens alike, rather than banging up yet more people, adding to the thousands with mental health problems banged up already?

Mr. Lammy

I will not seek to make a party political point on such a serious issue. The prison service is part way through a three-year programme of work designed to reduce the incidence of suicide and self-harm among our prisoners. Close watch is paid to the mental health of young offenders at Feltham and other institutions, and extra provision made to prevent suicide.

The hon. Gentleman referred to the prisons inspectorate. The former chief inspector of prisons has said that the partnerships between the NHS and the prison service are successful.

Dr. Phyllis Starkey (Milton Keynes, South-West)

As part of its health improvement programme, Woodhill prison in my constituency has agreed an ambitious series of targets with our local primary care trust. Will the Minister clarify where the funding is coming from to make sure that those targets are met? Is it from the prison service or the PCT?

Mr. Lammy

Since 2000, there has been a close partnership between the NHS and the prison service. That means that by 2005–06, the NHS and the Department of Health will have increased funding by £46 million across the country, which will benefit my hon. Friend's local primary care trust.