Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 21
21
Accepted in Part
Paragraph: 79
Increase immediate availability of mental health inpatient beds for prisoners facing transfer difficulties.
Recommendation
The Ministry of Justice should work with the Department for Health and Social Care and the NHS to increase immediately the availability of mental health inpatient beds for prisoners from those prisons that have the most difficulty transferring prisoners within the time limit, including for those who are considered by some of those involved to have ‘untreatable’ conditions.
Government Response Summary
The government acknowledges delays in transfers and is implementing revised guidance, committing to a 28-day statutory time limit for transfers once guidance is embedded. They also cite investment in community mental health services and the NHS Long Term Plan aiming to improve overall access to inpatient services.
Paragraph Reference:
79
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
The MoJ, HMPPS, DHSC, NHS England and NHS Improvement have a responsibility to ensure those in prison receive appropriate care in the right setting, at the right time. If a prisoner has a severe mental health need to an extent that suggests that detention under the Mental Health Act may be appropriate, they should be referred and assessed clinically to determine whether transfer to a mental health hospital is warranted. We recognise that in some cases this process takes too long and stakeholders are working together to implement revised NHS England and NHS Improvement Guidance for transfers and remissions, published in June 2021.12 We are determined to improve the referral, assessment and transfer process, and ensure unnecessary delays are reduced to ensure the best outcome for each individual. We know that this is dependent on strong collaborative efforts between MoJ, HMPPS, DHSC, NHS England and NHS Improvement. In the White Paper on Reforming the Mental Health Act,13 the Government has committed to introducing a new statutory time limit of 28 days for transfers to mental health hospitals, to be commenced once the revised NHS England and NHS Improvement guidance has been fully embedded in practice. This will be kept under review based on monthly monitoring data, and we will take stock of progress during 2022/23. The NHS Long Term Plan describes policy for mental health services which includes investment into community mental health services and alternatives to admission, to try and reduce the need for mental health inpatient care. The aim is to improve throughput across the whole pathway and consequently ensure appropriate access to mental health inpatient services when required. Additional investment in mental health services, £1bn per year by 2023/24, supports the ambition within the Long Term Plan.