In this month's edition...
Social care in prison
HM Inspectorate of Prisons and the Care Quality Commission have published Social care in prisons in England and Wales. The report identifies several developments that are good practice in the social care of prisoners. However, there continues to be wide variations between social care services in prisons. It's recommendations include that: a cross-governmental strategy should be developed; that prisons should work with their local authority to ensure needs are being met; and that all prisons and local authorities should implement prompt, ongoing and effective systems for identifying the social care needs of prisoners throughout their stay in prison, which should include the ability of prisoners to self-refer. Find out more here
Preventable deaths in prison
An annual report has been published by Acting Prisons and Probation Ombudsman (PPO) Elizabeth Moody. The PPO annual report for 2017-2018 expresses concerns over drug related deaths, rates of suicide and self-harm, mental health, and treatment of older and dying prisoners. It finds prisoners are dying preventable deaths, particularly as a result of the alarming levels of drug abuse in jails, and some prisons and their health providers struggle to learn from investigations into deaths. Read the report here (PDF)
Ethnic minority cancer patients
brap is undertaking a project to explore the lived experience of ethnic minority cancer patients in England. It would like to hear from male cancer patients or carers from ethnic minority backgrounds in particular to help it understand their perspectives further. For participants, this would involve an initial telephone call to discuss the project and arrange an interview. Then brap would undertake an interview with them at a place and time of their choosing or over the phone. brap are able to provide local travel expenses. If you are able to help or would like to discuss the project in more detail please get in touch with Asif Afridi on asifa@brap.org.uk or on 0121 272 8455
Young people and mental health
Young People's Health Partnership is leading a project with the support of VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance partners to develop a resource to help improve understanding about young people not in employment, education or training who experience low level mental health issues and help those working with young people to support them. As part of this work it wants to find new and promising practice and understand what employers need to support them to engage with young people affected by mental health issues. It is looking for practice examples to support the resource. Submissions and requests for further information about the project can be sent to info@youngpeopleshealth.org.uk
Complex commissioning for complex needs
The Academy for Social Justice Commissioning is holding an evening seminar on 'Complex commissioning for complex needs' [6th November, Manchester, free]. According to research by the Lankelly Chase Foundation around 60,000 people in England experience multiple and complex needs. The Big Lottery Fund has invested £112m over eight years to fund partnerships of local organisations to work together and improve services for people with such needs. This seminar will look at what has been learned in the first four years of the programme and how this beneficiary group can best be supported and how that may inform commissioning. Find out more and book here
Mental health for people in prison
Clinks is holding 'Supporting good mental health for people in prison' [14th November, Manchester | 21st November, London | free], in partnership with the Association of Mental Health Providers. The event is a workshop for voluntary sector organisations to discuss what participants consider is supportive of good mental health in prisons, barriers or trigger points, and their views on the key elements of a whole prison approach to good mental health. This is a VCSE Health and Wellbeing Alliance project, which is also looking into the mental health of equalities groups. Find out more and book here
NHS, health and justice
Clinks has responded to the NHS long term plan for health and justice. Our response draws on evidence from our wide range of work supporting voluntary sector organisations working with people in contact with the justice system. We have also drawn on extensive evidence gathered from the voluntary sector, including from our active support for the voluntary sector’s work with women in contact with or at risk of contact with the justice system; intensive support for voluntary organisations working with families; and support for arts-based work with people involved with the criminal justice system. Read the response here
A strategy for multiple needs
Making Every Adult Matter (MEAM), a coalition of Clinks, Homeless Link, Mind and associate member Collective Voice, has published its 2018-2022 strategy, alongside a refreshed website and a video 'What does it really take?'. All aspects look at how to make change happen by transforming local systems, influencing policy, promoting the value of every adult and building a strong MEAM coalition. Find out more here
Consultation on secure schools
Clinks has responded to the Ministry of Justice’s draft guidance on applying to open secure schools. The response focuses on the draft quality indicators included in the guidance that will form part of the monitoring and accountability structures. We make a series of recommendations, including: national training standards to be introduced, rooted in an understanding of children’s psychosocial development and the importance of relationships; quality indicators should draw upon HM Inspectorate of Prisons indicators for adult male prisons; and an additional quality indicator is introduced around meeting the needs of specific groups of children and young people. You can read the response here
Health of young people
An updated Children and Young People Secure Estate National Partnership Agreement for 2018-2021 has been published by NHS England. It aims to enable a more fully integrated approach to the commissioning and delivery of excellent health services for children and young people within the secure estate in England. Whilst there is a much reduced number of children and young people in the secure estate, they are over-represented in terms of their physical, mental, neuro disability and substance misuse needs. Meeting these complex needs requires whole system collaboration, which the partnership is seeking to achieve through high quality outcome and evidence based health services. Find out more here
Healthcare in prison
The Care Quality Commission has published its annual assessment of the quality of health and social care in England. The state of health care and adult social care in England 2017/18 warns of growing ‘care injustice’, with access to good care increasingly dependent on how well local systems work together. It finds that in criminal justice settings, regulations were breached in almost half of the 41 prisons inspected, mainly because of a lack of appropriate policies and processes to run services safely and effectively. Many prisoners receive substandard care for reasons beyond the control of registered providers, such as poor physical environments. Read the report here (PDF)
Mental health research
The Wolfson Foundation has a £10 million funding competition to support novel and outstanding research with the potential to make advances in the understanding and treatment of mental health. It is intended that proposals should focus especially on research in the general area of anxiety and depression. The deadline for proposals is 11th January 2019. Find out more here
Disadvantaged women and girls
The Tampon Tax Community Fund has grants of between £5,000 and £10,000 available for a duration of up to 12 months. The purpose of the fund is to allocate the funds generated from the VAT on sanitary products to local projects that improve the lives of disadvantaged women and girls across the UK. The fund aims to support women and girls who are most marginalised to overcome barriers that prevent them from fulfilling their potential. UK-based organisations with a local or community reach can apply. Groups should visit their local community foundation website for further details about the eligibility requirements of the scheme in their area. The deadline to apply is 26th October. Find out more here
Preventing hepatitis
Adfam has published a booklet designed to support the families of people diagnosed with hepatitis C deal with the emotional, practical and financial realities. In 2015, hepatitis C was the most common infection amongst people who inject drugs. Around two in five people who inject drugs are living with chronic hepatitis C. Read the booklet here (PDF)
Safeguarding children involved in drug dealing
Russell Webster has written a blog discussing a report from St Giles Trust on vulnerable children involved in 'county lines' drug dealing. Children who get involved in county lines appear to come from a variety of backgrounds including those with multiple interventions from public services because of chaotic and risky home circumstances. The blog lays out the recommendations made by the report and the current issues with implementing them, especially when balancing vulnerability with criminality. Read the blog here
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About Clinks Health and Justice Bulletin
This regular bulletin provides Clinks members with the latest news for voluntary sector organisations involved in the health and care of people in the criminal justice system. It currently has 3,279 subscribers.
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