Mental health of prisoners: themed visit report into prison mental health services in Scotland

Author:
MENTAL WELFARE COMMISSION FOR SCOTLAND
Publisher:
Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland
Publication year:
2011
Pagination:
38p.
Place of publication:
Edinburgh

This report describes findings on the support and treatment that prisoners with a mental disorder receive in the Scottish Prison system. All fifteen prison governors were written to in order to ascertain basic facts about the mental health facilities in each prison and to identify key contacts for the visits. Of the 101 prisoners who were interviewed, 12 were on remand, 28 were short term and 61 were long term prisoners, of whom 25 had life sentences. The experience of prisoners with mental health problems was very variable, many had good experience of services but others had very different stories to tell. Just over half (55%) of the prisoners had negative comments about support received for their mental health difficulties while in prison; experiences seemed to vary even within the same prisons. Many positive aspects to the care and treatment of prisoners with mental health problems in Scottish prisons were found. A number of prisoners were getting better access to a psychiatrist in prison than they were in the community. However, there were at times delays and difficulties in accessing mental health support and poor response from staff, primarily due to lack of mental health nurses.

Subject terms:
mental health problems, mental health services, prisoners, user views, access to services;
Content type:
research
Location(s):
Scotland
Link:
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