Irish Prison Service Health Care Standards

30th July 2009

The aim of health care within the Irish Prison Service is to provide prisoners with access to the same quality and range of health services to which they would be eligible within the general community.

The Irish Prison Service Health Care Standards specifically refers to prisoner health care. The need for a broad based set of health care standards to guide the provision of health services to prisoners has been identified:

• These standards have been developed by various groups in health related interests that are involved in prisoner health care.
• The need to define the services to be provided but also that the effectiveness of such services should be measurable.
• Standards that reflect good clinical practice within the general community and are cost effective.
• Standards that will provide Governors and other managers with clear guidance regarding the health services.
• The standards outlined in this document are intended to assist in the formulation of the health care aspects of local Business Plans.
• Standards that provide guidance regarding the range of healthcare services to be provided in accordance with good practice guidelines.
• Prisoners are provided with an outline of the level of service which they may expect to receive.
• Standards that are set nationally in order to achieve consistency of care for all prisoners.
• The purpose of defining standards is to facilitate the implementation of a consistent level of care across the prison estate.
• Local prison business plans should outline envisaged time scales, targets, etc.
• The standards will be audited on an annual basis.
• These standards will be reviewed annually and revised accordingly.

Irish Prison Service

Download the document here.