New arrangements for prison health care

Provide an opportunity and a challenge for primary care trusts

From April, responsibility for prison health care in England has shifted from the Prison Service to primary care trusts. Under the new arrangements, primary care trusts are expected to develop prison healthcare delivery plans based on assessment and analyses of healthcare needs.1 Given the extensive range of health problems reported among prisoners, this will be a major challenge for primary care trusts. Furthermore, in the light of the recent public health white paper, Choosing Health,2 primary care trusts are expected to take a public health approach and aim to find the causes of health inequalities and social exclusion among prisoners and try and prevent them.

Health needs of prisoners are diverse and complex. Relative to the general population, they experience poorer physical, mental, and social health, including acute and longstanding physical and …