Legal News

It is apparent that the issue of poor mental health staffing levels in prisons across the UK has become a regular feature in the news of recent weeks.

Insufficient mental health staffing levels has been identified as a significant concern at a prison in Milton Keynes. Healthcare services at HMP Woodhill were inspected by the CQC amid concerns over the number of inmate deaths. The Report found that whilst staff had the required mental health training and skills, there were simply not enough staff. The prison’s mental health team consisting of three nurses, an interim deputy head and a clinical lead; the report found this to be insufficient to meet the needs of the prison population. The report found that patients in crisis were seen promptly but according to the findings, those with long-term mental health issues, were possibly being neglected and not having their needs met immediately. In response to these findings by the CQC, the NHS trust which runs the service stated more staff have since been recruited.

Further findings by the Ministry Of Justice (MOJ) have revealed that a record number of people committed suicide in prisons in England and Wales in 2016. The MOJ said there were 119 self-inflicted deaths in 2016; this was 29 more than the previous year. This is an extremely worrying trend, particularly when considered in the context of the above findings. It seems that the number of people dying by suicide in prison has reached epidemic proportions.

The Howard League published a joint Report alongside the Centre for Mental Health and they state; “no one should be so desperate while in the care of the State that they resort to taking their own life, and yet every three days a family member is told that a loved one has died behind bars.” This is of course an incredibly disturbing statistic. Clearly more needs to be done to address this highly concerning epidemic; this will need to include; specialist mental health training for prison officers, more funding will need to be allocated for prison safety. The Report addresses the need to launch a suicide and self-harm reduction project to address the increase in self-inflicted death and self-harm incidents in prisons.

Director of Mental Health at Duncan Lewis Solicitors, Rachel Caswell, comments that “self-harm and suicide are very tragically a typical occurrence in those suffering mental health difficulties. It is for this reason that the necessary help and measures are in place to seek to bring an end to these unnecessary deaths.”

Author Rachel Caswell is a Director in the Mental Health department. She has experience in all aspects of Mental Health law, with particular expertise in representing patients detained in adolescent Mental Health units at First Tier Tribunals. Rachel also has a keen interest in Restricted Mental Health cases.

Duncan Lewis Solicitors is the UK’s largest provider of Legal Aid mental health services and can advise mental health patients on a wide range of issues – including access to NHS mental health services and detention under the Mental Health Act. Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors regularly visit NHS hospitals to advise on mental health law – and are available across England and Wales at short notice for hospital and police station appointments. In some cases, Duncan Lewis mental health solicitors may be able to advise the nearest relative or carer of a mental health patient on a range of issues, including initiating treatment reviews where appropriate. For expert legal advice on mental health law, call the Duncan Lewis Mental Health Solicitors Helpline on 020 3114 1124. You can also contact Rachel Caswell in Dalston by calling 020 7275 2793.