§ Mr. Jim CunninghamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to develop prison health care. [108511]
§ Mr. HuttonWe have accepted the recommendations made in the report on 'The Future Organisation of Prison Health Care' published last year'. Two new joint Prison Service/National Health Service Executive units are being established: a prison healthcare task force and a prison health policy unit to help support and lead the reform of prison healthcare.
Prisons and health authorities are being asked to examine together the health needs of prisoners, identify appropriate services to meet those needs and effective ways of delivery. This work is being co-ordinated by the Prison Health Task Force, supported by Prison Service Area Managers and the NHS regional offices, and early pilots are underway in 12 prisons. More generally ten joint Prison Service/NHS Executive regional seminars were held in the past three months to help reinforce links and support joint planning.
1 'The Future Organisation of Prison Health Care: Report by the Joint Prison Service and National Health Service Executive Working Group'. Department of Health, March 1999.