The NHS Confederation supports the Government's move to improve prisoners' access to healthcare especially primary healthcare.

The transfer of healthcare for prisoners to the NHS, including the transfer last year of mental health care, is designed to give prisoners access to the same quality and range of services as the public receives from the NHS. Indeed, in a number of cases diseases such as diabetes and epilepsy are much better managed in prisons than the community. However, mental health needs often go unidentified or untreated.

The Confederation remains concerned that prisons do not have the infrastructure to support prisoners' access to NHS services. It is also important we address the whole care pathway, especially to ensure continuity of mental health care through the system. Further development of commissioning and integrated methods of working is needed to foster positive and efficient relationships within the health and prison system.

For more information about our related work programmes go to the primary care trust and mental health trust sections of the website.

How we involve our members

We hold specific seminars and meetings to inform our policy positions - invitations either appear in our email bulletin Interchange Alert or are sent out individually.

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