Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 29
29
Accepted in Part
Learning from RECONNECT pathfinders and partnership pilots needs swift acceleration and publication.
Recommendation
The NHS should learn early lessons swiftly from its RECONNECT pathfinder projects and accelerate roll-out of the most important features across all prisons in the interim between now and 2024 when it intends to have completed the full roll-out. Similarly, HMPPS’s five Health and Justice Partnership Co-ordinator pilots should be evaluated as soon as possible and if this evaluation is positive, they should be implemented across all prisons. The findings from the pathfinders and the pilots should be published. (Paragraph 93) Use of prison to accommodate mentally ill people because community care is not available
Government Response Summary
The government confirms a 'Lessons Learned' exercise for RECONNECT pathfinders has been done and a full evaluation is commissioned. For Health and Justice Partnership Coordinators, a process evaluation is underway with a report due Autumn 2022, and expansion to all probation regions is intended by 2024/25.
Government Response
Accepted in Part
HM Government
Accepted in Part
The MoJ and HMPPS welcomes the continued roll-out of NHS England and NHS Improvement’s RECONNECT, a care after custody service, which is supporting prison leavers to remain engaged with the right treatment upon resettlement through referrals into health services. NHS England and NHS Improvement undertook a “Lessons Learned” exercise during the first year of the RECONNECT pathfinders and is commissioning an evaluation through the National Institute for Health Research, which is due to commence 2022/23. HMPPS has introduced Health and Justice Partnership Coordinators in four probation regions to increase local awareness of offenders’ needs and ensure that clear pathways to treatment are in place by building connections between prisons, probation, commissioners and providers across mental health and substance misuse services. HMPPS is currently conducting a process evaluation of the roll-out and implementation of the Health and Justice Partnership Coordinator role, as well as wider initiatives to reduce reoffending. A published report is expected in Autumn 2022, capturing lessons learnt and identifying best practice to support future delivery. A full evaluation to explore the longer-term impacts is also planned, subject to a feasibility study. To support improvements across the country, we intend to expand Health and Justice Partnership Coordinators to every probation region in England and within Wales by 2024/25.