Source · Select Committees · Justice Committee
Recommendation 4
4
Paragraph: 22
The Committee recognise the severity of the current regime in prisons and commend both staff...
Conclusion
The Committee recognise the severity of the current regime in prisons and commend both staff and prisoners for responding and adapting to current circumstances. We are pleased to hear reports that the prison population have been largely compliant with changes made, but we share concerns about the potential long-term impact current restrictions will have on the health and wellbeing of prisoners themselves. We are unclear what additional support is being provided to those struggling with their mental health. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, prisons already faced alarmingly increased levels of self-harm and the current situation in prisons may serve to make that situation worse.
Paragraph Reference:
22
Government Response
Acknowledged
HM Government
Acknowledged
At the start of the pandemic HMPPS took swift and decisive action to protect staff, those in our care, and the wider community and NHS from explosive outbreaks in prisons. Since this time, we have been able to restart large elements of the regime and our National Framework outlined how we will continue to balance the needs to manage the risk of Covid-19 with the wider wellbeing of those in our care. This includes supporting the mental health of prisoners and young people. There were 61,153 self-harm incidents in the 12 months to June 2020 (our most recent published statistics). This is up 1% from the previous 12 months, comprising a 0.4% decrease in male establishments and a 6% increase in female establishments. In the most recent quarter (March – June 2020) there were 13,017 self-harm incidents, down 15% on the previous quarter, comprising a 19% decrease in male establishments and a 1% increase in female establishments. We remain concerned about the rise in self-harm in the women’s estate, particularly during the pandemic, as we know that many of the drivers (risks and triggers) and protective factors linked to women’s risk of self-harm in prison have been impacted by Covid-19, and for some women this can exacerbate their risk. We are taking immediate actions to address the rise including having the right staffing levels in place to deliver an improved regime, conducting wellbeing checks, enabling increased opportunities for family contact through video calls and increased pin credit, and expanding the Support through Enhanced Management (StEM)—a trauma informed initiative aimed at those with the most complex needs. We continue to make the Samaritans phone service available and are working with the Samaritans to ensure that the Listener peer support scheme continues to function effectively. A taskforce has been established to co-ordinate and drive forward a range of work aimed at reducing self-harm in the female estate. To date it has: Ȥ Undertaken work to identify the drivers of self-harm for women in prison to help understand the reasons for the increase, as well as identifying the protective factors for women to help reduce of self-harm. Ȥ Completed deep dives in our three of the most complex prisons, with the findings used to inform a comprehensive list of recommendations for the prisons. Ȥ Continuing female-specific self-harm research which is being undertaken with Derby University. Ȥ Appointed a Safety Analyst within the Regional Team to look at the data and make better informed decisions around reasons for self-harm within the women’s estate. Ȥ Completed an Early Days review of all establishments. The recommendations from these are now being implemented. Ȥ Developed an additional week’s training focused on female-specific issues to provide new officers working in the women’s estate with a better understanding of these issues. Ȥ Started the review of healthcare provision within the women’s estate which is led by NHS England In addition to this, we expect to restart the rollout of the revised Assessment Care in Custody and Teamwork (ACCT) version 6 in the female estate in the New Year. This should provide a better framework for supporting women at risk of self-harm through a more tailored and multi-disciplinary support model that focuses on the needs of the individual. We will also be rolling out the OMiC model in the female estate next year. This will provide each woman in the female estate with a dedicated key worker who will be able to better support them and identify concerns at an early stage so that women can receive the right support at the right time.