WHO health in prisons project and the trencin statement on prisons and mental health

Launched in 1995 by the WHO Regional Office for Europe because the public health importance of health in prisons was being neglected throughout Europe, the WHO Health in Prisons Project (WHO HIPP) now has 36 countries of Europe coming together to share experiences and practices relating to improving health in prisons. The approach will be outlined, including some of the factors built in to get sustainable progress. HIPP aims to collect evidence, expert opinion and experience of what works from the countries involved and use that to produce consensus advice on policies and practices. An account of its achievements to date and advice as to where copies of reports and papers can be found will be given. The 2007 project on prisons and mental health will be used as an example of the approach and its outcome; the contents of the WHO Trencin Statement on prisons and mental health will be presented. The key criteria for success will be stressed to justify the call for urgent action which participants will be invited to support.