Prisoner experience of healthcare services at HMP Hewell

Healthwatch Worcestershire undertook research on healthcare services at HMP Hewell. They spoke to Healthcare Champions in focus groups in 2018 and 2019, including 12 prisoners in the most recent session, to understand experiences of accessing healthcare, medication, long-term condition support and mental health services. 

Participants felt the prison's healthcare services were generally good when prisoners were able to access them. Reception screening, health assessments and induction processes were viewed positively, and Healthcare Champions played an important role in helping prisoners understand and access available services. However, long waits for GP appointments, difficulties attending appointments because of staff shortages and prison movement restrictions, and concerns about responses to emergency situations while prisoners were locked in cells were recurring issues.

Prisoners also reported problems accessing medication, including delays at the pharmacy hatch, staffing shortages and clashes between medication collection times and meal times. Although healthcare staff were praised for supporting prisoners with long-term conditions, participants felt wider prison systems did not always support healthcare needs effectively. Concerns were raised about external hospital appointments being missed, diabetic and allergy-related dietary requirements being ignored by catering services, and poor access to mental health support. Many felt mental health problems underpinned a large proportion of issues within the prison.

Healthwatch Worcestershire concluded that healthcare staff were working hard to provide good care, but access to services was often hindered by operational pressures within the prison. Key recommendations included appointing dedicated healthcare escorts, improving responses to cell bells, strengthening support for long-term conditions, improving access to prescribed medication and introducing dedicated mental health practitioners on prison wings to improve access to mental health support.