In early 2007, Ministers established the Prison Healthcare Advisory Board to explore the feasibility of transfer of the enhanced primary healthcare services in Scottish prisons from the Scottish Prison Service (SPS) to NHSScotland.
The Prison Healthcare Advisory Board comprised senior staff from SPS and NHS Boards, NHS and SPS staff organisations and Scottish Government advisers. The Board was given a remit by Ministers to advise them on the legislative, operational and financial feasibility of transfer, if the NHS took on responsibility for health service delivery. The Board completed its work in December 2007 and submitted the following report to the Scottish Government.
Report Vol 1 of 2 - Transfer of Enhanced Primary Healthcare Services to the NHS
Report Vol 2 of 2 - Transfer of Enhanced Primary Healthcare Services to the NHS
The Board came to the view that transfer of responsibility for primary healthcare services to NHS Boards is feasible. Legislative change will be required to enable NHS Boards to provide primary care services such as GP, pharmacy, nursing, optometry and dentistry. Any risks associated with the transfer of responsibility will be managed with careful preparatory work, good planning and the right project management arrangements. Effective working relationships with national and local partnerships between SPS and the NHS is essential.
A National Programme Board for Prisoners' Healthcare has now been established. It will oversee and steer the preparatory work, and the eventual operational transfer. It will comprise NHS and SPS senior staff, NHS and SPS staff organisations, Scottish Government staff and representatives of service users. The early priorities for the Programme Board will be to define the service models of care such as GP, pharmacy, nursing, optometry and dental services and from this, identify the detail of the underpinning legislative changes necessary.