Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 8
8
Deferred
Paragraph: 43
Unavailability of community orders leads to unnecessary imprisonment for mental health needs
Conclusion
Too many offenders are imprisoned because community orders with mental health treatment requirements are unavailable in many areas. The Government’s target that community orders with mental health treatment requirements should be available across 50% of England and Wales by 2023 is insufficiently ambitious. It is unacceptable that in many parts of the country and for years to come, sentencers will continue to be obliged to send offenders to prisons simply because appropriate community sentences are unavailable.
Government Response Summary
The government's response focuses on existing NICE guidance and service specifications for mental health screening, assessment, and treatment within prisons. It does not address the availability or ambition of community orders with mental health treatment requirements as an alternative to prison.
Paragraph Reference:
43
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
NICE guidance on the Physical Health of People in Prison (NG57)10 and the Service Specification for Integrated Mental Health Service for Prisons (2018) in England specify that screening, assessment and treatment for mental health issues should be in place as appropriate and delivered by professionals and allied staff who are suitably competent, well led, properly supervised and operating within a clear quality and clinical governance framework supporting safe and effective delivery. Where a referral is made to the mental health team during any point of the prisoner health pathway, services are required to ensure that competent practitioners who have experience of working with people in contact with the criminal justice system and mental health problems perform the mental health assessment.