10 July 2012
During a routine inspection
Prior to the inspection HMIP carried out a survey about all aspects of prison life including healthcare. In total 142 surveys were returned and some of the findings have been used in this report.
2gether NHS Foundation Trust provided general and mental health nursing within the prison. It also provided the integrated drugs treatment service. Other healthcare services such as dentistry, opticians and general practitioners were supplied by other providers.
People spoken with expressed a high level of satisfaction with the health services offered. One person commented 'They've really helped me a lot.'
In the survey carried out by HMIP 51% of people thought that health services were either 'good' or 'very good.' (12% of people who had completed the survey had not used the services and therefore were unable to comment.)
People said that that they felt involved in their care and treatment. One person said 'They let you speak and I feel like they listen to my opinions.' Other people said that the treatment they received was 'flexible' and they were consulted about treatment options.
Discussions with nurses demonstrated that they liaised with professionals outside the prison to ensure people received consistent care and treatment. During a consultation between a nurse and a person using the service we heard evidence that the nurse had communicated with the person's community worker. This ensured that the person's care was continued whilst they were in prison.
The healthcare service had ongoing contact and communication with prison staff to ensure that people received care to meet their needs. One member of prison staff said 'The communication with nurses is great, they are always available to see people if we are ever concerned about someone's health.'
People spoken with were complimentary about the staff who worked at the healthcare centre. One person told us 'There's no problem with the staff, they are very efficient and sort things out quickly.'