| PROVISION
OF SPECIALIST SERVICES |
| |
| Education |
| 6.1
Competitive Tendering and impending changes to some
Educational Support Services caused a degree of
uncertainty during the course of the year. However, the
results of new tendering arrangements should become
apparent during the coming months - hopefully bringing
economies and a more flexible service. Nevertheless,
there were some Management Teams who were inclined to see
Education as something of a poor alternative to work. Too
often we saw groups of individuals lounging in worksheds
and only a handful of individuals in education classes.
Yet in many cases the reason for a prisoners
incarceration or recidivism could well have been due to
failures in social and moral education in the first
place. |
| 6.2
Of course, education is voluntary in prison - and as a
result class attendances are often what can at best be
described as patchy. However, we believe that Education
is one of the most important components of any regime,
including its connections with improved self esteem and
links to recidivism. We also believe that coordination in
this area could still be improved. Information Technology
should be able to assist this: for example in the
coordination of Education programmes across all 22
establishments. |
| 6.3
We wish eventually to see more regimes which include a
balanced programme of work and Education - especially if
full-time employment in prisons becomes more difficult -
due, for example, to increasing commercial pressures. |
| 6.4
We also welcome the possibility of more evening and
week-end classes; and if Education staff are unavailable,
there should at least be improved access to computers and
books. |
| 6.5
Additionally, better coordination with agencies such as
APEX is also required; a continuous survey of educational
requirements also needs to examine the relevance of
current courses and qualifications. |
| |
| Medical |
| 6.6
Throughout last year we were reassured by the services
offered to most prisoners who were physically ill or
injured, the range of services, treatment rooms and small
prison hospitals being generally adequate for the task.
In one or two large establishments, MOs were full-time,
as were the Nursing staff. Elsewhere patients were being
filtered out by mainly full-time nurses, and then were
seen by a part-time MO, who was normally a GP from the
local practice. |
| 6.7
However, considerable change was underway as this report
was being prepared. The ‘Needs Assessment Review of
Medical and Nursing Services in Scottish Prisons’
had recommended the eventual ‘civilianisation’
of all NO posts. This has started to be implemented under
SSR and could lead to the prison experience of some SPS
uniformed Nursing staff being lost. Other NOs may be
retained, but in a civilian capacity if they are
successful in re-applying for their jobs. |
| 6.8
We remain uneasy about the implementation of some of
these proposals. For example, more pressure may now fall
on MOs; Discipline Officers will also have to escort
medical referrals - whereas previously this was done by
uniformed NOs, although staff adjustments have been
promised in compensation. |
| 6.9
We accept that a major attempt is being made to improve
standards of nursing and patient care, however a major
concern is the timescale of meeting these aims. The
original study expected the process to be spread over a
number of years, whereas it would appear that this is now
being considerably reduced, because of the impact of the
Staffing Structure Review. |
| |
| Psychiatrist |
| 6.10
There was no shortage of expert psychiatrist advice for
prisoners in Scotland, (unlike the relatively poor
situation found in England). Referrals were seen promptly
and there was considerable interest shown in most areas.
We were also gratified to note that considerable
innovative work was taking place in this field. However,
we recognise that there was, and probably always will be,
a proportion of mentally disturbed individuals in prison
who should have been elsewhere. Frequent referrals to the
State Hospital at Carstairs continued: prisoners often
returned to prison after successful treatment at this
location. |
| |
| Psychologist |
| 6.11
Support in this area had fallen away in some prisons
during the year; meanwhile the outcome of a major review
into psychologist support is awaited. However, SPS HQ are
indicating that initial findings may not be available
until much later in 1995. |
| |
| Dentist |
| 6.12
We thought that the quality of dental support was
excellent, although there were some imbalances in the
provision of services. Surgeries were, with one or two
exceptions, well equipped. Individuals were seen
promptly, although most dental work was mainly concerned
with neglect. Cosmetic dentistry was not offered. |
| |
| Communication
Therapy |
| 6.13
During our inspection of HMYOI Polmont we interviewed a
Communication Therapist who had been involved there since
1972. Attending for one day per week, her aim was to
assist those YOs who had speech or language difficulties.
It would appear that Polmont is in fact unique in
Scotland, and possibly in the UK, in recognising the
communicative needs of young male prisoners. From the
data examined it would appear that approximately 10% of
all admissions have some sort of communication disorder.
Sessions were normally held on a one to one basis, the
main aim being to teach the individuals concerned to
converse with others at different levels, or in different
situations: overall the purpose was to make YOs feel that
they were of some value. |
| 6.14
Those who were due release were then offered points of
contact in the local community. Sadly we found that many
did not take this up: apparently they could only be
motivated within the confines of the Institution. We were
most impressed with this service: it is one which could
be introduced by other establishments. Anything that
improves self esteem in this way is to be encouraged; it
would also appear that as much as possible should be done
whilst in prison, rather than later. |
| 6.15
This form of therapy also acts as a reminder that many
basic considerations can be overlooked. The ability to
communicate is one of the greatest essentials for
progression, yet many who are admitted to prison cannot
write or have difficulty in filling in forms, and thus
problems with Authority. Another example of communication
therapy is the Art therapy classes run at several
establishments. |
| |
| Chaplains |
| 6.16
To talk with and listen to as many prison inhabitants as
possible is one of the Inspectorate’s main tasks:
nevertheless we recognise this is already accomplished on
a daily basis by the SPS’s prison chaplains (the
difference being that they are life-long Inspectors and
do not publish results!). We were impressed by the wide
range of spiritual and practical support which was on
offer to all prisoners. We were heartened by the unity of
purpose which was displayed by full time chaplains, or by
their part-time male and female counterparts. This
spanned all denominations and crossed over into almost
every aspect of prison life. We were encouraged to
observe that many prisoners kept in touch with their
chaplain, albeit that the number at formal worship rarely
matched the frequency of daily contact. |
| 6.17
Several earlier SPS initiatives had also begun to bear
fruit. In the course of the year we noted improved
Chaplaincy Centres, including one which had been newly
opened at HMYOI Polmont. We recognise that this had been
accomplished despite demands on space and resources which
are always at a premium. This has also led to some
centres and chapels being used for several purposes.
Nevertheless a chapel doubling as a gymnasium, as
occurred temporarily at one establishment is probably
taking the motto ‘mens sana en corpore sano’
too far! |
| 6.18
In other respects 1994-95 may have been something of a
watershed for chaplaincy in the SPS. Separate SSR
deliberations led to further discussion of the role and
status of chaplains, a problem which was identified in
our 1988 Thematic Study. Debate included the merits of
full or part-time chaplains. We might for example,
support a move towards more full timers being
established, provided that links with the local community
were maintained or strengthened. |
| 6.19
We would also hope that there will be a gradual
improvement in the resources allocated to chaplaincy, by
Governors I/C and SPS HQ. Many facilities have indeed
been improved but there are others where support is
threadbare, one of the problems being that spiritual
benefits and achievements are seen as intangible. We
would also like to see chaplains included in the SPIN
project, in due course. |
| 6.20
The Inspectorate recognises that most chaplains represent
excellent value for money and are vital to the
achievement of the SPS’s Mission Statement,
including good relationships with staff. |
| 6.21
Mention is not made here of associated volunteer groups
such as the Salvation Army, the Prison Fellowship or HOPE
Group; nevertheless we believe that there was regular and
productive contact at most establishments. Further
details are at Annex 6. |
| |
| Social
Work |
| 6.22
During the course of our inspections we continued to be
impressed by the commitment and dedication shown by staff
in the various Social Work Units. It was pleasing to also
note that many of the initiatives recommended by the
Social Work Services Inspectorate in their report on
prison Social Work Units were now being taken on board,
in particular the development of groupwork initiatives -
eg the alcohol and anger management programmes in HMYOI
Polmont. |
| 6.23
Over the last five years there has been a welcome
increase in the number of social work staff working in
prisons. In the past there had been some problems in
getting people of the right quality and it was,
therefore, pleasing to note that staff were now realising
that a post in the prison service could offer work which
is both interesting and varied. We noted that
relationships between social work staff and prison
management/staff were generally very good and there was
increasing evidence of joint working between the two.
This, in turn, had led to some impressive group working
arrangements although sadly we found that some
establishments were better than others in that respect.
We accept that there can be problems over the
availability of suitable accommodation or even staff
availability to help out with these projects. That said,
however, properly managed group work has many benefits
for the participants and we would like to see some
imaginative thinking at local level to ensure that the
best coverage was being provided. |
| 6.24
Over the past few years uniformed staff in many
establishments have been trained in a welfare role. Under
that role they are able to deal with some of the more
routine or straightforward tasks thereby giving more time
for Social Work staff to concentrate on more complex
issues. This is an initiative which we welcome although
we did detect a slight blurring of the edges between the
roles of the Welfare Officers and the Personal Officers
and it may be that the roles of those two separate
functions need to be more clearly defined. |
| 6.25
In overall terms we were satisfied with the work of the
prison Social Work Departments although there was a
feeling that many of the staff in those areas considered
themselves to be on the periphery of the working of the
establishment. Our belief is that they are at the very
centre of what modern prisons are about: we are confident
that the quality service which these staff provide will
continue for many years to come. |
