Doctor

Latest News

The legislation that transfers the responsibility for primary healthcare services in prison from the Scottish Prison Service to NHS Boards progressed successfully through Parliament and the Bill received Royal Assent on 6th August 2010. Health Boards will now be responsible for the delivery of healthcare services in prisons when the legislation takes effect, which is expected to be in October 2011.

National Programme for Prisoner Healthcare

Following a Feasbility Study undertaken in 2007, Ministers approved the transfer of responsibility for prisoner healthcare from the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to the National Health Service (NHS). A National Programme Board for Prisoners' Healthcare was established in early 2009 and is responsible for overseeing and steering the preparatory work and eventual operational transfer. The early priorities for the Programme Board will be to define the service models of care such as GP, Pharmacy, Nursing, Optometry and Dental Services and from this, identify the detail of the underpinning legislative changes necessary.

A Programme Team was appointed in summer 2009 to support the work of the Programme Board.

The Roles & Responsibilities of the key stakeholders and decision making Boards/Groups have been approved by the National Programme Board.

Key Documents associated with the outputs of the Programme can be found here.


For further information regarding Prisons, please visit the Scottish Prison Service website.

Page updated: Thursday, October 27, 2011