§ Mr. BrakeTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he will make it his policy that all custody officers(a) ask detainees questions to determine their mental state and (b) receive training in recognising mental illness. [129587]
§ Mrs. RocheIt is not the function of detention custody officers to determine a detainee's mental state. However, it is part of their function to refer any health concerns about a detainee to the medical team located at the Centre. Detainees are offered full medical screening on arrival at a Detention Centre and this includes mental health screening. Qualified medical staff are on duty during the day and an on call system operates at night.
The level of Health Care at Detention Centres is comparable to that in a local General Practice.
Detainees are referred for specialist treatment, including psychological counselling, in the same way as any other NHS patient.
Detention Custody Officers will receive suicide awareness and first aid training as part of their training programme.