To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what resources his Department is providing to prisons in order to meet the NICE quality standard set for the physical health of people in prisons.
Answered on
16 October 2017
NHS England became responsible for commissioning health services for people in prisons in April 2013.
Regional Health and Justice commissioners have a duty to ensure that all relevant guidance and guidelines, including the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence quality standard, are incorporated into their establishment-level service specification with their health provider(s).
A national group of public health, pharmacy and data professionals are reviewing the effectiveness of the ‘opt out’ testing approach for screening for blood-borne viruses amongst people in prison.