§ Mr. BeithTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what arrangements exist between the National Health Service and the Prison Service for mutual access to relevant medical records of prisoners during and after custody; and if he will make a statement. [50589]
§ Ms QuinPrison healthcare staff are not required, as a matter of routine, to obtain the previous non-Prison Service medical records of all prisoners received into custody. Where it is considered necessary, and the patient prisoner agrees, staff will request medical reports or the individual health records from the National Health Service (NHS). In cases where there is a need for treatment to continue following release, medical information is transferred from the prison doctor to the prisoner's General Practitioner or other NHS doctor as required.
A new health care standard on "continuity of health care" is being developed by the Prison Service in collaboration with a number of agencies including the 343W NHS. This is aimed at facilitating the exchange of information and will provide additional advice and guidance to staff.