Prison mental health needs major overhaul, says Sainsbury Centre

24 October 2007

"Prisoners are not getting the mental health care they need and deserve," Sainsbury Centre for Mental Health director of prisons and criminal justice Sean Duggan said today.

Responding to HM Inspectorate of Prisons thematic review of mental health, Sean Duggan said: "Today's report shows how far we have to go to achieve a decent standard of mental health care for prisoners. Current staffing levels in prison mental health care are only one-third of what is needed. We urgently need more investment, especially in primary care within prisons, to close that massive gap.

"Inreach teams are beginning to offer prisoners with more severe mental health conditions a better service. But the majority of prisoners with mental health problems are getting inadequate care and are being released with the same, or worse, problems.

"We need a comprehensive strategy to provide offenders with mental health problems a better chance of re-establishing productive lives. We need to divert those with severe problems away from the courts and prisons. We need to screen better for mental health problems when people arrive in prison and respond appropriately to their needs. And we need to offer prisoners and their families support to help them get their lives back after they are released."