Prisons (Suicide Prevention) (Hansard, 16 December 1992)

§ Mr. Hinchliffe
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps he is taking to encourage greater staff training and awareness in suicide prevention in the prison service.

§ Mr. Peter Lloyd
A training package in suicide awareness forms part of the induction training for all new prison officers, and is also available to all prison establishments for local delivery. It is for individual governors to determine what priority such training should have, taking into account other staff training needs at different times.
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Staff awareness is maintained by the suicide prevention management group within the establishment and by line managers. Prison Service headquarters provides active encouragement through the work of the national suicide awareness support unit. The unit issues regular newsletters as a way of sharing good practice within the Prison Service. It published an information paper in August 1992 which gives more details of national and local initiatives in this important area—my answer of 27 October, at column 580, refers.

§ Mr. Hinchliffe
To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department in how many prisons suicide prevention management groups are established; and how he will encourage the involvement of the Samaritans.

§ Mr. Peter Lloyd
Suicide prevention management groups are established in all prisons in England and Wales.
The Samaritans are already extensively involved in prisons. Local branches are represented on almost all suicide prevention management groups. The nature of their involvement varies according to local needs, but many include regular surgeries for prisoners; confidential befriending of suicide prisoners by visit, phone and letter; and training and support of prison staff and prisoner befrienders. This work is co-ordinated by the national prison liaison and development officer for the Samaritans. The Prison Service is funding this post for a two-year period. In conjunction with the Samaritans, the Prison Service also issued, in January 1992 guidelines to prisons on the role of the Samaritans and how it can be developed.