Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 30
30
Deferred
Paragraph: 166
Require MoJ, HMPPS, NHSE/I to report progress on PPO recommendations for female deaths.
Recommendation
The circumstances surrounding the deaths of Baby A and Baby B identified serious failings in the care and management of Ms A and Ms B, and some serious errors in judgement, as described in the subsequent reports by the Prison and Probation Ombudsman (PPO). The findings of both reports are serious, and urgent action by the MoJ, HMPPS, NHSE/I and other listed parties must be taken. The MoJ, HMPPS Women in Prison 79 and NHSE/I should set out the progress they are making against each recommendation in both reports from the PPO, and how lessons learned are being applied across the female estate.
Government response summary AI-generated
The government accepted the recommendation but did not provide an update on the PPO reports regarding Baby A and Baby B deaths or how lessons learned are being applied. Instead, it outlined commitments to transform the Prisoner Education Service, recruit Neurodiversity Support Managers (5 roles offered, others recruiting), develop personal learning plans, and work towards allowing prisoners to undertake apprenticeships with new regulations by early October.
Summary of the government's response below — read the verbatim text to verify.
Paragraph Reference:
166
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government · verbatim extract
Deferred
We accept this recommendation. MoJ and HMPPS have accepted and completed all of the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) recommendations from the reports into the tragic deaths of Baby A and Baby B, and have since published a new policy on Pregnancy, Mother and Baby Units and Maternal Separation from Children up to the Age of Two in Women’s Prisons that addresses learning from the PPO reports. The new policy forms an important part of our organisational response to the learning from Baby A and Baby B. HMPPS utilised the policy review to undertake further consultation with NHSE, to ensure national learning was addressed where appropriate and that we had the appropriate clinical input. NHSE have responded in a number of ways to the recommendations of the PPO reports on the tragic deaths of Baby A and Baby B. We have produced a specification to address the needs of pregnant and post-natal women (Pregnancy and post -natal specification) which will ensure that all women have high quality and consistent services across the estate to address their needs. The National specification was published in June 2022. NHSE are currently working with regional teams to assure that it is commissioned, and we expect this to be achieved by end June 2023. The current review of the women’s estate includes the built environment and feeds into how the Pregnancy and post -natal specification will be delivered. NHSE also continues to work closely with MoJ on policy and HMPPS on operational deliverables to implement the PPO recommendations and improvements to the health offer for pregnant women in prisons. This will ensure that women who meet the eligibility criteria for RECONNECT services will continue to be supported post-release where their health needs require continuity of care. NHSE is also aligning with current policy HMPPS policy on pregnancy, mother and baby units and maternal separation; the MoJ Women Offenders Concordat; and the wider Women’s Health Strategy being developed by the DHSC. Outputs have included the development of the National Pregnancy and Post Natal Specification, development of national gender specific reception screening and recruitment to the Women’s Review Implementation Programme Team.
Read the full response on Parliament ↗