The College undertook a project to examine practices relating to
offender mental health care and how mental health services are
integrated in the criminal justice system. The aim was to explore
current and good practices that can be used to make a case for
greater integration of the two services. The findings were fed into
a NICE Offender Health seminar held in late September 2010 and may
inform any future NICE guidelines. There is a need for more
pragmatic approaches to offender health, particularly those which
have a sound evidence base, are already working effectively, and
present financial ‘cost-benefit’ investment.
For this project a Working Group was set up by
leads Dr. Nick Kosky, consultant psychiatrist and Dr. Rajesh
Nadkarni, consultant forensic psychiatrist and included other
experts in the field. In order to understand existing practice and
proposals for improvement, a survey was sent to relevant College
members asking about their experiences of cooperation between
mental health and criminal justice services.
There are a variety of different models of
integrated practice for diversion. This project will seek to
identify relevant models across the UK, and to draw upon these to
assist the National Health and Criminal Justice programme board in
developing proposals to improve the health of offenders.
The task of the National Health and Criminal
Justice program is to distribute the care of offenders across
health services generally and to increase understanding around the
management of people with mental health problems who are also
offenders.
It is hoped that the College’s findings
will urge improved practices for mental health care in
the criminal justice system and the case for improved cooperation
between the two.
Briefing
For more information please contact
Masood
Khan