Select committee: Justice Committee

Mental Health in Prison

Closed Opened 20 Apr 2021 Closed 1 Jun 2022 12 recommendations 21 conclusions

Justice Committee Inquiry on parliament.uk ↗

Inquiry scope (the committee's words)

This inquiry seeks to understand the current scale of mental health need in prisons, and to identify what support exists and whether there are any gaps in provision. Read the terms of reference to find out more about the inquiry .

Where it stands

The inquiry is closed, opened 20 April 2021.

The committee has published 1 report, most recently 5th Report - Mental health in prison on 29 September 2021.

The government's response

Published 4 February 2022. The deadline was 29 November 2021.

Summary written by Accountability Index from the government's response. It is not the government's own words.

The Government "welcomes" the Committee's report and responds to each recommendation, largely by pointing to existing and planned work, while setting out dated commitments on matters such as a 28-day transfer limit, medical records transfer and a Working Group on prison as a place of safety.

On substance misuse and violence, the MoJ and HMPPS "agree with the Committee" that tackling them is "critical to prisons’ recovery from the pandemic", and cite the Prisons Strategy White Paper and a new 10-year drugs strategy.
On transfers to mental health hospitals, the Government has committed in the Mental Health Act White Paper to a new statutory 28-day time limit, "to be commenced once the revised NHS England and NHS Improvement guidance has been fully embedded in practice". It will take stock of progress during 2022/23.
On medical records, it states health records "will be automatically transferred" between community and prison health services, and "expect[s]" completion for the male estate by April 2023 and the female estate by the end of 2023.
On ending the use of prison as a place of safety and on amending the Bail Act, it sets no 31 March 2022 date. It cites a cross-departmental Working Group, with a "cross-departmental response and agreement of priorities by September 2022", and says it is "currently reviewing" the bail power.

Read the government's response ↗ Report an error

Recommendations and conclusions

All 33 recommendations and conclusions

Reports

5th Report - Mental health in prison29 September 2021 · 33 items

All reports

Evidence

2 oral evidence sessionsLatest 22 June 2021
11 witnesses

All evidence

Recent activity

5th Special Report - Mental health in prison: Government Response to the Committee’s Fifth Report4 February 2022, Report published
5th Report - Mental health in prison29 September 2021, Report published
Oral evidence session22 June 2021, Oral evidence

Recommendations and conclusions 33 shown

1: Unmet need for mental illness treatment in prisons remains surprisingly high

Conclusion · 5th Report - Mental health in prison · Addressed to Ministry of Justice

Concluded (the committee's words)

While there have been improvements in prison mental healthcare, provision is still not adequate. The high unmet need for treatment for mental illness in prisons is surprising and disappointing. Around 10% of prisoners were recorded as receiving treatment for mental illness with one suggestion that as many as 70% may have some form of mental health need at any one time. NHS work is long overdue to quantify the gap between mental health treatment needs and the services provided.

Date	Session and witnesses	Source
22 Jun 2021	Oral evidence session Alex Chalk · Ministry of Justice, Juliet Lyon CBE · Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody, Kate Davies CBE · NHS England, Martin Jones · Department for Transport, Phil Copple · HMPPS	View ↗
8 Jun 2021	Oral evidence session Dr Jake Hard · Royal College of General Practitioners, Dr Josanne Holloway · Royal College of Psychiatrists, Dr Russell Green · Practice Plus Group, Dr Sarah Allen · Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, Dr Sarah Hewitt · Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust, Simon Newman RN · Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board	View ↗

Witness	Organisation	Sessions
Alex Chalk · Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State	Ministry of Justice	1
Dr Jake Hard · Chair, Secure Environments Group	Royal College of General Practitioners	1
Dr Josanne Holloway · Chair of the Faculty of Forensic Psychiatry	Royal College of Psychiatrists	1
Dr Russell Green · Medical Director for Health in Justice	Practice Plus Group	1
Dr Sarah Allen · Consultant Clinical Psychologist and Lead Psychologist for Health and Justice and OPD Services	Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust	1
Dr Sarah Hewitt · Consultant Forensic Psychiatrist	Central and North West London NHS Foundation Trust	1
Juliet Lyon CBE · Former Chair	Independent Advisory Panel on Deaths in Custody	1
Kate Davies CBE · Director of Health and Justice, Armed Forces and Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs)	NHS England	1
Martin Jones · Deputy Director, EU Division	Department for Transport	1
Phil Copple · Director General of Prisons	HMPPS	1
Simon Newman RN · Head of Healthcare, HMP Berwyn	Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board	1

Mental Health in Prison

Where it stands

The government's response

Recommendations and conclusions

Reports

Evidence

Recent activity

Recommendations and conclusions 33 shown

Reports

Oral evidence sessions

Who gave evidence