§ Mr. GerrardTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps are taken to ensure the confidentiality of medical checks on prisoners, including when a case of a transmissible disease is identified. [16703]
§ Miss WiddecombeResponsibility for this matter has been delegated to the temporary Director General of the Prison Service, who has been asked to arrange for a reply to be given.
731WLetter from A. J. Pearson to Mr. Neil Gerrard, dated 1 March 1996:
The Home Secretary has asked me, in the absence of the Director General from the office, to reply to your recent Question about the confidentiality of medical checks on prisoners.
All medical information on prisoners is held on the Inmate Medical Record (IMR) which is restricted to the medical team providing care to prisoners. The IMR accompanies transfer in a sealed package. Other communications regarding an inmate's medical status are made doctor to doctor.
It is Prison Service policy that medical confidentiality on inmates' medical information, including transmissible diseases is maintained.
All training of health care staff including Medical Officers, nurses, health care officers and counsellors, emphasises the importance of maintaining medical confidentiality.
Medical officers and nurses working in the Prison Service adhere to their professional codes of conduct concerning confidentiality of medical information. Other members of health care teams work under the supervision of the Medical Officer and adhere to that profession's code of conduct.