§ Ms Bridget PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department, (1) how many detoxifications of prisoners took place in health care centres in each of the last five years; [115749]
(2) what the average length of time for a detoxification of a drug abuser in prison has been in the last five years; and what the (a) longest and (b) shortest times have been; [115750]
(3) what co-ordinated prison services address the needs of prisoners with dual diagnoses; [115743]
(4) what information he has collated on the numbers of prisoners with dual diagnoses. [115744]
§ Paul GogginsInformation on how many detoxifications of prisoners took place in health care centres in each of the last five years is not available in the form requested. Prison Service establishments reported that 41,916 drug and alcohol detoxifications were carried out between 1 April 2001 and 31 March 2002.
150W"Changing the Outlook, a Strategy for Developing and Modernising Mental Health Services in Prisons" (December 2001) emphasises that service development in prisons must take account of, and link in with, other established programmes for the clinical management of substance misusers and other drug treatment or rehabilitation programmes. The planned devolution of responsibility for commissioning prison health services to Primary Care Trusts by April 2006 will enable the development of a more co-ordinated approach to the planning and delivery of health services to prisoners. This should, in turn, help support achievement of these elements of the mental health strategy.
Information on the average length of time for the detoxification of a drug abuser in prison has been in the last five years is not available in the form requested. The current practice is to recommend nine to 10 day programmes for the clinical management of opiate withdrawal and seven-day programmes in respect of alcohol. All such recommended timescales are kept under review in the light of developments in clinical practice.
Detailed information about the co-occurrence of substance misuse and mental disorder can be found in Chapter five of "Substance misuse among prisoners in England and Wales—further analysis of data from the Office for National Statistics survey of psychiatric morbidity among prisoners in England and Wales" carried out on behalf of the Department of Health, published by the Office for National Statistics in 1999.
The survey indicated that 19 per cent. remanded men, 12 per cent. sentenced men, 21 per cent. remanded women and 15 per cent. sentenced women had four or more of the disorders surveyed (personality disorder, psychosis, neurosis, drug dependence and alcohol misuse).
§ Dr. KumarTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what programmes are available to(a) assess and (b) treat the drug and alcohol addictions of (i) staff and (ii) inmates at each classification of prison and offenders institution in the UK; and if he will make a statement. [115545]
§ Paul GogginsWhen a member of staff is recognised as having a drink or drug related problem the Prison Service will offer assistance and guidance on appropriate remedial action. We will support and encourage staff who acknowledge their problem. Our Staff Care and Welfare Service will offer basic counselling and staff will be treated through the NHS facilities where appropriate. However, staff are expected to cooperate constructively and continue with remedial action to overcome their problem.
A comprehensive range of measures is available to prisoners to address the needs of drug misusers with the needs of alcohol users determined much more on a local basis.
Detoxification services are available in all local prisons and remand centres for alcohol and other drugs. The Counselling Assessment, Referral, Advice and Throughcare (CARAT) service which deals also with alcohol as part of poly-drug use is available to all 151W prisoners in England and Wales; and intensive rehabilitation programmes are available in 60 establishments.
§ Ms Bridget PrenticeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many of those in rehabilitation and treatment completed the programmes in each of the last five years; [115747]
(2) how many detoxified prisoners received follow-up, and of what kind, in each of the last five years; [115748]
(3) how many CARATS initial assessments led to the full process of counselling, assessment, referral, advice and through care in each year for which figures are available. [115746]
§ Paul GogginsInformation on how many prisoners who undertook rehabilitation and treatment completed the programmes in each of the last five years is not available centrally. The Prison Service is looking to see what additional monitoring arrangements might be put in place.
Data are not available to show which services were accessed by prisoners following their initial assessment by the Counselling Assessment, Referral, Advice and Throughcare (CARAT) service or on the follow-up services accessed by those who have been detoxified. However, a recent survey showed that 41 per cent. of prisoners who had accessed the CARAT service had received detoxification.