A report published today by the Centre for Mental Health suggests that prisoners in England are unable to get access to urgent hospital care because secure hospital services are blocked by a lack of community and step-down services.
The report, “Pathways to Unlocking Secure Mental Health Care,” finds that secure mental health services vary widely across England in terms of who they admit and what support they provide. The report also finds that with no national standards or guidance on secure care, prisoners often get assessed many times by different experts before being admitted to hospital.
The report makes 15 recommendations to make secure services more efficient and better value for money.
To download “Pathways to Unlocking Secure Mental Health Care,” click here.