As we mark World Patient Safety Day, conversations about safety often focus on hospitals and clinical settings. But patient safety is equally important in justice health care, where nurses work with some of society's most vulnerable people. 

World Patient Safety Day is not often attributed to sustainability; however, for me there is an intersection between the two which should be considered - especially within health and justice. This World Patient Safety Day, I want to explore how sustainability can be understood more broadly and not just about climate, waste and energy conservation. It is also about creating the conditions for better long-term health outcomes, reducing inequalities and supporting people to build healthier futures. 

The United Nations Interregional Crime and Justice Research Institute (UNICRI) work globally to advance policies that promote humane and environmentally responsible prison systems. The UNICRI's work is guided by the United Nations Development Goals (SDGs), particularly SDG 16, which advocates for peace, justice and strong institutions and SDG 13, which emphasises taking urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts.  Through a health and justice lens, health education and public health interventions can support rehabilitation and improve long-term health outcomes. 

The health and justice system should have a focus on rehabilitation and the nurse’s role in this is fundamental - providing person centred care without judgement at all times. From police custody to probation and court to prison or a forensic hospital. Nurses work with people to help them understand and manage both their physical and mental health in a trauma informed way. This is also a patient safety intervention, helping to prevent avoidable harm and support better health outcomes over the long term. 

People who enter into the criminal justice system have often experienced multiple health inequalities, including neurodivergence and experiences of trauma. Nurses, alongside other health care professionals, provide unconditional positive regard and create a safe space for people to understand their health needs. By supporting people  manage their well-being differently on release,  nurses are not only promoting patient safety but also  contributing to sustainability in its widest sense. Helping people improve their health, reduce future risks and access support earlier can improve outcomes and reduce the likelihood of future contact with both health and potentially, justice services. 

A practical example: supporting people with a history of drug use 

An example of applying this to a real example is how prison nurses work with people who have a history of injecting drugs. Nurses work alongside prison officers, third sector organisations such as the Hep C Trust and other health care professionals to test, treat and educate people.  

As people address their addiction, learn about personal safety, and address the reasons behind their drug use, they feel heard, valued and develop a sense of purpose by becoming a peer, working in the prison to educate others. On release, the person feels hopeful and positive, the meaningful activity in the prison as a peer strengthening their resolve to continue to share their lived experience for the education and benefit of others.  

This is patient safety in action: preventing future harm, reducing health inequalities and empowering people to take control of their health. It is also a sustainable approach, creating lasting benefits for individuals, communities and services. 

This World Patient Safety Day, we should remember that patient safety extends far beyond traditional clinical settings. In health and justice settings, safe care means addressing inequalities, supporting rehabilitation and helping people build healthier futures. By taking this wider view of sustainability, nursing can improve outcomes not only for individuals, but for communities and society as a whole. 

 

Join the RCN Nursing in Justice and Forensic Health Care Forum 

Read more about the United Nations Development goals here 

UNICIRI paper on environmentally sustainable prisons