Press release: NHS Confederation supports BMA for action on prison health
18 Apr 2001
The NHS Confederation's Mental Health Committee, which met today [18 April] has expressed support for concerted and determined action to bring prison health care up to acceptable standards.
Responding to the report of the British Medical Association (BMA) into prison health, chair of the mental health committee, Sandy Taylor, said "the majority of prisoners' health needs are linked to mental illness and substance misuse and the failure to address these problems whilst in prison has a knock on effect into local mental health services when prisoners are discharged."
Continuing, he said "we support new initiatives that are aimed at bringing local mental health services and prison services more closely together", but he warned "we also need sufficient new resources to support the development of new services such as mental health 'in-reach teams'."
Ends
Notes for editors
The NHS Confederation is the voice of NHS management. Our members include over 95 per cent of NHS trusts, primary care trusts and health authorities in England; trusts and health authorities in Wales; trusts and health boards in
Scotland; and health and social services trusts and boards in Northern Ireland.
The Mental Health Committee determines strategic policy and develops detailed policy positions to ensure the Confederation is effective at influencing health policy and practice. Members represent the Confederation in discussions with policy and decision-makers. The Mental Health Committee is working on a number of areas including
- the National Service Framework
- the Mental Health Act review
- services for people with personality disorders
- modernising mental health services as unfinished business
There will be a session led by the Director General of HM Prison Service, Martin Narey and Dr. Sheila Adam, Health Services Director from the Department of Health at the NHS Confederation¡¦s Annual Conference 4-6 July 2001 in Manchester.
Contact details
- Contact Media Relations Manager Joanna Clason on 020 7074 3306 or 07798 571078 or Senior Media Officer Amy Darlington on 020 7074 3304 or 07767 770309. For out of hours media enquiries, please call the Duty Press Officer on 07880 500726.
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