§ 57. Mr. LofthouseTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what action he intends to take to safeguard the mentally ill remanded in custody.
§ Mr. Douglas HoggPrison medical officers in examining inmates on reception identify as a priority those who, by reason of their mental state, may require particular attention whether of a medical or general management nature. In such cases, referral to a psychiatrist would be an early course of further action.
The police and prison services are working closely together to ensure similar early identification, and correct follow-up action can be taken in the case of a defendant who, because of overcrowding in local prisons and remand centres, is initially held in a police cell, where this cannot be avoided.