APT Evidence-Based Mental Health
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
British Journal of Psychiatry Psychiatric Bulletin All RCPsych Journals
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit an eLetter
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Birmingham, L.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow Articles by Birmingham, L.
Advances in Psychiatric Treatment (2003) 9: 191-199
© 2003 The Royal College of Psychiatrists

The mental health of prisoners

Luke Birmingham

Luke Birmingham is a senior lecturer at the University of Southampton and an honorary consultant in forensic psychiatry at Ravenswood House Medium Secure Unit (Knowle, Fareham, Hampshire PO17 5NA, UK). His research interests include prison mental health care and mentally disordered offenders, and he has acted as a guest medical inspector for Her Majesty’s Prison Inspectorate.

Mental health problems are the most significant cause of morbidity in prisons. Over 90% of prisoners have a mental disorder. The prison environment and the rules and regimes governing daily life inside prison can be seriously detrimental to mental health. Prisoners have received very poor health care and, until recently, the National Health Service (NHS) had no obligations to service this group, which was the Home Office’s responsibility. The NHS is expected to take responsibility eventually, following a new health partnership with the Prison Service. NHS psychiatrists will have to be much more active in the development and delivery of health care to prisoners who now have the right to equal health care. There are positive developments but concerted and determined action is required to bring prison health care up to acceptable standards.




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Health Education JournalHome page
L. Condon, G. Hek, and F. Harris
Choosing health in prison: Prisoners' views on making healthy choices in English prisons
Health Education Journal, September 1, 2008; 67(3): 155 - 166.
[Abstract] [PDF]

Home page
 Br. J. PsychiatryHome page
J. Steel, G. Thornicroft, L. Birmingham, C. Brooker, A. Mills, M. Harty, and J. Shaw
Prison mental health inreach services
The British Journal of Psychiatry, May 1, 2007; 190(5): 373 - 374.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 Adv. Psychiatr. Treat.Home page
T. Maden
Invited commentary on: The mental health of prisoners
Advan. Psychiatr. Treat., May 1, 2003; 9(3): 200 - 201.
[Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
British Journal of Psychiatry Psychiatric Bulletin All RCPsych Journals
Copyright © 2003 The Royal College of Psychiatrists.