HM Prison and Probation Service

Noted (AI summary) NHS England is responding to 'The Long Wait' HMIP report, and is working with HMPPS nationally and regionally to support the ACCT process. HMP Guys Marsh issued guidance to healthcare staff and relevant training was provided to induction and reception staff who conduct first night interviews. NHS England South West region supported the development of e-learning training for healthcare staff on safeguarding in secure and detained settings. Unilink will raise the issue of prisoner transfer information with the Ministry of Justice to explore the possibility of sharing relevant information to better manage and redirect communications. The response is a cover letter forwarding the PFD response, but contains no details itself. The Department of Health and Social Care acknowledges concerns about mental health treatment equity in prisons and delays in transferring mentally unwell prisoners. They mention the Mental Health Bill, which will introduce a 28-day statutory time limit for transfers from prison to hospital, and that they expect other recipients of the report to address concerns around national guidance, ACCT processes and engagement with family members.

Noted (AI summary) West Midlands Police have updated their systems with prompts to improve the identification of those at increased risk and will work with MAPPA partners to ensure the coordinator role and new policy are understood and cascaded to relevant staff. HMP & YOI Parc has provided notice to offender managers to notify the relevant Community Offender Manager when a prisoner is being released at sentence end date and will be of no fixed abode, including providing information relating to a prisoner’s intentions in terms of where they are going on the day of release. G4S will continue to streamline its own data recording, to ensure as much information as possible is shared through the primary national prisons IT system, DPS. BSMHFT will develop a sustainable engagement strategy with MAPPA, review the Prison Discharge Coordinator's role, and explore amendments to the Systemone interface in HMP Birmingham to record community mental health team involvement, anticipating a decision within a month. The health board acknowledges the concerns raised in the report but states that it has no jurisdiction/power over the actions required for some of the concerns. However, it has alerted the MAPPA Coordinator to the concern regarding release of high-risk prisoners and will participate in Strategic Management Board discussions. West Midlands Probation Service is working with NHS-England Reconnect Service to ensure Probation Practitioners are aware of how to refer into this service in Prison for support “through the gate”, the transition period from prison into the community. West Midlands Probation Service will work with the Health Trust to support any Guidance revisions undertaken by the Health Trust to ensure that the Guidance is clear and enables effective information sharing and can be embedded within and understood by all in the Probation Service.

Noted (AI summary) HMPPS will revisit recording key dates as it continues to develop the Digital Prison Services (DPS), and it anticipates the ability to search for key words will be available by 2025. It will also issue a Senior Leaders Bulletin on the importance of recognising key dates and encouraging the use of local databases. NHS England describes the Health and Justice Information Service (HJIS) and options for flagging key dates, and refers to NICE guidance on managing medicines. It states that responsibility for cell searches lies with HMPPS. The Ministry of Justice acknowledges the concerns raised and states that HM Prison and Probation Service (HMPPS) will respond to the operational issues; the Minister endorses the HMPPS response.

Noted (AI summary) HM Inspectorate of Prisons acknowledges receipt of the report but states its remit is limited to the inspection process, referring to published inspection reports and stating the information will inform future risk assessments at HMP Thameside. HM Inspectorate of Prisons acknowledges receipt of the report but states its remit is limited to the inspection process, referring to published inspection reports and stating the information will inform future risk assessments at HMP Thameside. Serco (HMP Thameside) details actions taken, including the introduction of MS Teams folders for data retention, enhanced security strategies with trained analysts, and the implementation of a bodyscanner, with learnings from the inquest shared with senior management. They will also share learnings of the inquest with the senior management team, with advice that where there is a suspected 'swallow' and absence of a positive bodyscanner result, they should re-locate to healthcare. HM Prison and Probation Service acknowledges the concerns regarding record keeping and data retention at HMP Thameside, confirms receipt of the prison director's response, and outlines the contract delivery indicators and monitoring processes in place.