HMP Onley

We carried out a focussed announced inspection of healthcare services provided by Practice Plus Group Health and Rehabilitation Services (PPG) at HMP Onley. PPG took over the contract from the previous provider following a joint His Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons inspection (HMIP) of the service in June 2022. At the last inspection, we found the quality of healthcare provided by the previous provider at this location required improvement. We issued Requirement Notices in relation to Regulation 12, Safe care and treatment and Regulation 17, Good governance to the previous provider.

The purpose of this inspection was to determine if the provider was meeting the legal requirements and regulations under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and that prisoners were receiving safe care and treatment.

At this inspection we found that some improvements had been made, however we found that improvements were required in other areas.

We do not currently rate services provided in prisons. We highlight good practice and issues that service providers need to improve and take regulatory action as necessary.

At this inspection we found:

• Staffing levels within the mental health team were not sufficient to meet the demand in a timely manner.
• There was a backlog of applications requiring triage by the mental health team, although action had been planned to address this.
• Patients on the mental health team caseload did not always receive timely support, some patients received regular reviews and had a comprehensive care plan. Other patients had not been seen since their initial triage appointment and had no care plan in place.
• Oversight of subcontracted providers was good, with regular meetings and monitoring of waiting times.
• Improvements had been made in many areas of medicines management.
• Medicines fridge temperatures were not always recorded each day. Action had not been taken to safeguard medicines where temperatures were out of the recommended range.

The provider must:

• Ensure that staffing levels in the mental health team are increased so they can meet patient needs in a timely way.
• Ensure that medicines are stored according to manufacturer’s guidance and action is taken to safeguard medicines supplies in line with the provider’s medicines policy.
• Ensure that blood glucose monitoring equipment is managed appropriately.