Diabetes - prisons

The challenges of the prison environment in meeting needs and providing quality care are well recognised. Equally the prison environment can also provide opportunities to address the health needs of a 'hard to reach' sector of society, and for some prisoners an opportunity to access health care which, for a variety of reasons, they have not been able to access previously.

This page signposts selected resources on health care in prisons and care of offenders with diabetes.

You can find a wider selection of resources on health care in prisons such a s policy across the UK in the Social inclusion resource at Offenders.

The resources were last accessed on 31 October 2012. Some of them are in PDF format – see how to access PDF files.

Department of Health (2009) PALS in prison: a toolkit and good practice guidance for implementing Patient Advice and Liaison Services in a secure setting
This is designed to be read by commissioners and providers of health care in the criminal or youth justice sectors. It looks at the benefits of having a Patient Advice and Liaison Service in a secure setting in prisons and makes suggestions for implementing and delivering PALS in prisons drawing on the experiences of PCTs and prisons already providing a PALS service.

Department of Health (2007) Good practice in prison health
Outlines examples of good practice in the provision of health services to offenders in prison and the community. The examples were gathered from surveys, literature and internet searches and individual submissions and include some that are specific to diabetes.

Diabetes UK (2006) Diabetes and the disadvantaged
A report by the All Parliamentary Group for Diabetes and Diabetes UK, which looks at the current link between Type 2 diabetes, socio economic deprivation and diversity in the UK. It also examines possible solutions to tackling this pattern of high diabetes prevalence and poor health outcomes amongst diverse communities.

Diabetes UK (2005) Position statement: Prisons: care of people with diabetes
A position statement from Diabetes UK states that "People with diabetes in prisons have unique circumstances and should receive equivalent care standards to all people with diabetes", and describes what is required to enable this.

Prison Health Research Network: The healthcare challenges of older people in prisons - a briefing paper (PDF 381KB)
This briefing paper reviews published research and government literature regarding the health and healthcare of older prisoners in the United Kingdom and across the world. The Prison Health Research Network has now become the Offender Health Research Network.

Royal College of Nursing Diabetes Nursing Forum: Update on prison diabetic care audit
This is an initial brief report on the findings of a nationwide audit exploring diabetes care in UK prisons. This was undertaken in response to forum members’ concerns. The audit has identified areas of excellence as well as areas that require further work and support to improve the quality of care.

The results of this survey were presented in the following article: Booles KD (2011) Survey on the quality of diabetes care in prison settings across the UK. Journal of Diabetes Nursing 15(5) pp.168-176.

See other specific contexts and populations.