Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 43
43
Accepted
Prisoners are not receiving equivalent healthcare services compared to the wider population
Conclusion
Given the acute needs of those in prison, particularly regarding mental health, it is imperative that prisoners have access to good health and wellbeing services to assist them in properly engaging with rehabilitative programmes. However, despite the principle of equivalence, prisoners are not receiving healthcare on a par with the wider population. (Conclusion, Paragraph 202)
Government Response Summary
The government accepts the principle of healthcare equivalence in prisons, committing to the National Partnership Agreement and leveraging the NHS 10 Year Health Plan. They are undertaking specific activities including data capture exercises and re-procuring integrated clinical digital systems in early 2026 to improve healthcare provision.
Government Response
Accepted
HM Government
Accepted
Accept. The Government is committed to ensuring that people in prison have access to an equivalent standard, range and quality of health care in prisons to that available in the wider community. This is reflected in the National Partnership Agreement on Health and Social Care in England between MoJ, DHSC, HMPPS, NHS England and UK HSA published in February 2023. This sets out shared strategic priorities to enable the delivery of safe and effective care that improves health outcomes for people in prison and those subject to supervision by the probation service in the community. HMPPS will continue to work closely with health partners to look at issues that impact equivalence, such as staffing levels and timely and appropriate information sharing. The NHS 10 Year Health Plan, published in July 2025, also presents a significant opportunity to improve access to healthcare through the recruitment of more GPs and shift from sickness to prevention and align a whole system response. For those in contact with the criminal justice system, who are traditionally harder to engage and tend to experience co-morbidities, we are considering targeted interventions that can improve access to, and engagement with, services, both upon release and in custody. We have made significant progress in the last 18 months to ensure the principle of equivalence is upheld in practice. Key activity includes: • Progressing improvements in the system, including the development of a metric to capture prisoner attendance at healthcare appointments. • We have also commissioned a data capture exercise across all prisons in England and Wales to collect information on Escorts, Bedwatch and Constant Supervision, to collect information on missed and cancelled appointments, waiting times, local treatment services and the use of digital and technology in delivering healthcare. • We recognise that Health systems are a key function to the delivery of healthcare in custody. NHSE is undertaking a re-procurement of the current Integrated Clinical Digital systems early in 2026, this will include requirements for interoperability with criminal justice systems, as well as other community health systems such as National Drug Treatment Monitoring System (NDTMS).