The government states the Mental Health Needs Analysis will be used to identify service gaps and inform the upcoming review of the national prison mental health service specification and mental health indicators to ensure appropriate care.

The government highlights mental health as a priority, mentioning ongoing collaboration and efforts by governors to ensure timely healthcare access. HMPPS is looking at promoting positive wellbeing and will recommence a programme of future regime design, but does not commit to the NHS identifying specific reasons for 24-hour screening failures or implementing targeted action plans to remedy them.

The government stated NHS England and NHS Improvement are developing guidance for Integrated Care Systems to manage the continuity of care pathways for the prison population and will incorporate the interface between prison healthcare and parole into a review of the mental health service specification.

The government stated it is currently reviewing the use and impact of the power that allows severely mentally ill individuals to be kept in prison and considering alternative measures to avoid harm to vulnerable defendants, without committing to specific steps to address the shortage of facilities.