BMA: Services fail prisoners

There are a number of problems with drug rehabilitation programmes for prisoners, the British Medical Association (BMA) has warned.

The doctors' group spoke out after the publication of a report from the UK Drug Policy Commission, which claimed the standard of healthcare and support for prisoners with drug problems "falls well below" the acceptable minimum standards in many prisons.

Dr Clare Jenkins, chairman of the BMA's civil and public services committee, said: "Prison doctors will sadly recognise the depressing situation described by the report and sympathise with many of its conclusions.

"Drug rehabilitation programmes are often poorly funded and not adequately linked with community based services.

"Any drug-dependent prisoner should be monitored and supported after release so that their addiction does not lead them back to a life of crime.

"Unfortunately, support services in the community are often difficult to organise and access. In some areas they are practically non-existent."

Dr George Fernie, chairman of the BMA's forensic medicine committee, added: "A large number of prisoners enter custody dependent on illegal drugs and because of current failures many of these individuals will be part of the two-thirds of prisoners who re-offend within two years of release.

"There have been improvements in some areas of prison healthcare recently.

"But the government must renew its efforts to combat a problem that is potentially putting the public at risk from drug-dependent individuals with no support or monitoring."