NCJ Number
216723
Journal
American Journal of Public Health Volume: 96 Issue: 10 Dated: October 2006 Pages: 1730-1733
Date Published
October 2006
Length
4 pages
Annotation
This article describes recent health care reforms within the prison system in England and Wales.
Abstract
While there is scant empirical data on reform outcomes as yet, it is clear that reform efforts have resulted in many benefits, including important service provision improvements, a greater integration of prisoner health care into the general health care system of England and Wales, and greater resources for key health issues. Additionally, prisoners are now included in major public health initiatives, such as smoking cessation programs or programs combating blood-borne diseases. Previously managed by Her Majesty’s Prison Service, health care services and provision had come under sharp attack in England and Wales during the mid- to late-1990s. As a result, management of prison health care was completely turned over to the National Health Service (NHS) by April 2006. The NHS is the state-funded health care provider for all citizens in England and Wales. By appointing the NHS in charge of prison health care, a strong message was sent that prisoner health care would be managed in much the same way health care for all citizens is managed. A key aspect of the prison health care reform efforts included the provision of services on the basis of assessed need on an equivalent level to those provided to citizens in the community. The author points out that this model of prison health care has become a growing trend in various countries, such as Norway, France, and New South Wales Australia. This model is not a panacea, however, as there are many other types of problems facing prison health care services in England and Wales, such as inadequate resources, overcrowding, and negative public perceptions. References