Stewardship of prison health: The necessity for health systems and public health to be involved

In the last few years there has been a marked growth of concern about prisons and health throughout Europe. Health needs have become much more complex and prisons are caught between greatly increased expectations amongst prisoners and also among prison supervisory bodies. The traditional prison health service provided by the same authority as provides the prisons service is increasingly being found wanting and several countries now have transferred the responsibility for prison health to public health services. Concerns over the present arrangements and uncertainty about the best way forward led over 30 countries in Europe to ask WHO to produce guidance on the stewardship of prison health, concerning all aspects of providing health care in prisons and particularly about which government department should have responsibility for the services. It is hoped this guidance will be published late in 2012. This session will look at the principles of 'good' prison health, lessons from case studies, and what an essential or basic service should provide, and what a good service should be. One of the major conclusions was that the lack of awareness of health issues in prison in those responsible for health governance in a country was producing a potential public health hazard. It is important for this message to be spread and understood in all countries. The session will hear from those who are producing the report for WHO and its potential for importance beyond Europe.