The Minister of Justice says that it will be technically difficult to put this recommendation into
practice. And yet the methodological guide to healthcare provision for prisoners stipulates that:
"Putting the prisoner directly in touch over the telephone with the coordinating doctor is likely to
enable the latter to assess the prisoner's state of health. Direct communication over the telephone
between the prisoner and the coordinating doctor should be promoted, whilst ensuring the
confidentiality of medical exchanges and the security of the prisoner and the institution". As such,
whenever the physical constraints allow, prison staff shall apply this recommendation, with
precedence continuing to be given to the possibility of emergency crews having access to prisons so
as to reach the detained patient. The Minister of Health, meanwhile, considers that "the question of
emergency night-time calls are the responsibility of the prison authorities, which must be prepared to
cope with medical emergencies", and clarifies that the subject of organising out-of-hours healthcare
when the prison health unit is closed, so as to avoid any delay in emergency provision of care, will be
addressed as part of the offenders' health strategy.
The CGLPL upholds its recommendation and insists that the technical constraints be
removed through the new plans bearing on telephone systems or digital technology in prison.
Take advantage of the plans bearing on telephone systems or digital technology in prison to
enable systematic direct communication between prisoners and the emergency medical
dispatchers when the institution's medical staff were absent and they have asked for an
emergency consultation.
3.5.2 Reproductive justice
The CGLPL had recommended taking all appropriate measures to ensure that fertility treatments are
accessible to any prisoner under the same conditions as the rest of the population.
The Minister of Health gives a reminder that the development of family living units and family
visiting rooms, enabling prisoners to have children naturally, should be encouraged and that fertility
treatments may only be offered lawfully to couples who have been medically diagnosed as suffering
from infertility problems.
Further, she maintains that prisoners are already permitted access to fertility treatment under
the same conditions as the rest of the population, but that in practice, especially when it is the woman
who is in prison, there are major organisational hurdles involved in the prison authorities'
management of external movements for medical reasons.
Adapt the management of assignments in prison and external movements to the situation of
female prisoners wishing to have a baby and who require assistance meeting the ordinary law
conditions.
3.6
Activities
The CGLPL had recommended developing schooling, training, cultural, sports and recreational
activities that are likely to help children to thrive and play a part in citizenship, as well as allowing
teachers to benefit from specific training and guidance.
The Minister of Justice highlights the effective partnership between the prison authorities and
National Education in terms of teaching conditions and the procedures governing consultation and
the sharing of information, the definition of leaders' missions at local, regional and national level and
the consistency of institutions' strategic plans and educational plans. She sheds light on the significant
funding allocated and marked, sustainable increase in activities and initiatives available to prisoners to
equip them with the skills they need to return to living in society. There are other partnerships in
place with the Ministry of Culture and Communication and the Ministry of Sport. The activity
provision for prisoners should have reached 3.5 hours a day in 2016 and 5 hours in 2017, versus
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