Prisoners denied dignity while receiving NHS care, watchdog finds

A female inmate remained handcuffed to a male prison officer while she had a mammogram, in an example of prisoners being denied their dignity while receiving NHS care, a watchdog has revealed.

The incident is highlighted in a report by the Health Services Safety Investigation Body (HSSIB) into the difficulties prisoners can face when they leave jail to see a GP or visit a hospital.

Some inmates are put on a long chain, with the prison officer guarding them staying just outside the room, while others are made to wait in cupboards for their appointments, it found.

A government spokesperson said the report’s findings, based on interviews with more than 120 prisoners, were “deeply concerning”, especially about problems experienced by female inmates.

The prospect that prisoners will not have the same dignity and privacy during NHS appointments as other patients is a key reason why more than half do not attend those which occur outside prison.

HSSIB found that “did not attend” (DNA) rates for outpatient appointments during 2024 for those in prison “were high, at 52% and 57% for males and females respectively. This compares to a DNA rate in the general population of 26% for both sexes”, it said.

Read full story

Source: The Guardian, 28 November 2024