the prison and probation service
how the Prison and Probation Service manages to fulfil this new obligation
and reduce the isolation of other inmates in remand prisons whilst simultaneously satisfying their rights to associate with others.
A recurring issue during inspections of prisons and remand prisons is inmates’ access to health and medical care. The Prison and Probation Service has
chosen to provide certain health and medical care by using primary care and
outpatient psychiatry. Prisoners who cannot have their health and medical
care provided by the Prison and Probation Service receive care from the
public healthcare system. Individuals detained in police custody facilities that
the Prison and Probation Service manages on behalf of the Police Authority
do not have access to the same health and medical care as other inmates
within the Prison and Probation Service. Both the CAT and the European
Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) have drawn attention to
inmates’ access to health and medical care as well as dental care within the
Prison and Probation Service. The CPT has recommended that the availability and quality of doctors, dentists and psychologists needs to be improved
in certain prisons and remand prisons.43 The CAT has drawn attention to
the question of how inmates receive information concerning the right to
request an independent medical examination (a new medical examination).44
Inmates’ access to health and medical care is an issue that the Parliamentary
Ombudsmen will continue to follow.
With regard to coercive measures, following its most recent visit to Sweden
the CPT has recommended that restraint beds with belts should not be used
in environments other than in healthcare.45 The Government has replied that
this coercive measure can be used in exceptional cases in order for inmates
not to harm themselves.46 The Parliamentary Ombudsmen will return to this
issue in 2020.47
Finally, it is clear that the responses that the Parliamentary Ombudsmen have
requested from the Prison and Probation Service show that it is possible to
take measures to improve the environment in cells and exercise yards. Changes made have given inmates’ increased opportunities to view their surroundings through cell windows and from exercise yards whilst ensuring privacy.
It is also positive that the Prison and Probation Service has announced that
it will take a comprehensive approach to these issues in order to improve the
environment for inmates in remand prisons and prisons.
43 See CPT/Inf (2016) 1 para. 77.
44 See CAT/C/ SWE/QPR/8, 3 b.
45 See CPT/Inf (2016) 1 para. 90.
46 See CPT/Inf (2016) 20, pp. 47.
47 See ref. no. 279-2018.
49
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