implementing recommendations, improving staff training and ensuring more joined-up working. Where this is not currently the situation this should explicitly be part of the inspection regimes. All settings Department of Health Response: Organisations which do not deliver to DH and NHS England take the standards outlined in the Equality compliance with human rights and Human Rights obligations very seriously. The Commission’s Human Rights Framework risk being in Framework is a Commission’s breach of human rights obligations. welcome additional resource to support organisations deliver safe Risk assessments need to be carried and compassionate care. out, be effective, be reviewed regularly and shared with all relevant agencies The revised Mental Health Act and staff. 1983 Code of Practice sets out detailed guidance on the Training in mental health awareness importance of comprehensive risk should be mandatory and ongoing for all assessments of those detained frontline staff so they are better able to under the Act to ensure that their identify and appropriately support clinical needs are met whilst people with mental health conditions. maintaining their safety and the wider public safety. There needs to be a clear process which sets out how the implementation NHS England currently of recommendations from investigations commissions healthcare in prisons. into a death (including the inquest) will Commissioned health services be followed up. This is the joint carry out risk assessments at responsibility of those who run individual reception and these are reviewed institutions and the regulatory and when health interventions are inspectorate bodies which make those delivered. recommendations. Providers of health services in We recommend increased statutory prison settings are expected to obligations on institutions to publically support their staff in accessing
implementing recommendations, improving staff training and ensuring more joined-up working. Where this is not currently the situation this should explicitly be part of the inspection regimes. All settings Organisations which do not deliver to the standards outlined in the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s Human Rights Framework risk being in breach of human rights obligations. Risk assessments need to be carried out, be effective, be reviewed regularly and shared with all relevant agencies and staff. Training in mental health awareness should be mandatory and ongoing for all frontline staff so they are better able to identify and appropriately support people with mental health conditions. There needs to be a clear process which sets out how the implementation of recommendations from investigations into a death (including the inquest) will be followed up. This is the joint responsibility of those who run individual institutions and the regulatory and inspectorate bodies which make those recommendations. We recommend increased statutory obligations on institutions to publically Department of Health Response: DH and NHS England take compliance with human rights obligations very seriously. The Commission’s Framework is a welcome additional resource to support organisations deliver safe and compassionate care. The revised Mental Health Act 1983 Code of Practice sets out detailed guidance on the importance of comprehensive risk assessments of those detained under the Act to ensure that their clinical needs are met whilst maintaining their safety and the wider public safety. NHS England currently commissions healthcare in prisons. Commissioned health services carry out risk assessments at reception and these are reviewed when health interventions are delivered. Providers of health services in prison settings are expected to support their staff in accessing
adi_-_preventing_deaths_in_detention_of_adults_with_mental_health_conditions_-_accessible_version.docx