§ Helen JonesTo ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) how many prisons have drawn up health improvement programmes since the setting up of the Prison Health Policy Unit;[139824]
(2) what progress has been made by the Prison Health Policy Unit on assisting health authorities to identify the health needs of prisoners in their area; and if he will make a statement. [139823]
§ Mr. BoatengAs part of the programme of reform set out in "The Future Organisation of Prison Health Care", each prison and its local health authority is required jointly to review the health needs of the local prison population and to develop joint improvement plans by the end of March 2001. Our assessment is that generally satisfactory progress is being made towards that objective, supported by the Prison Health Task Force and the Prison Health Policy Unit. To date, at least 38 establishments, 447W with their local health authorities, have completed the needs assessment part of the process and are drawing up health improvement plans.