Sorca Clarke
Question:
653. Deputy Sorca Clarke asked the Minister for Justice and Equality the number of prisoners on waiting lists to access prison psychology services and addiction services in February 2020; and if she will make a statement on the matter. [14488/20]
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Provision of safe and secure custody and dignity of care to persons in the penal system in Ireland is a priority for my Department and the Prison Service.
I understand that the prison healthcare service provides prisoners with access to the same range of quality of healthcare services as available under the medical card scheme in the community. The Prison Service Health Care Standards guide the provision of these health services to prisoners, reflecting the prison context and good clinical practice. These Standards have been published and further information is available on the Irish Prison Service website
www.irishprisons.ie.
Specific attention is also paid to psychology and mental health. I understand that the Prison Service Psychology Service makes up part of the clinical and operational multi-disciplinary team in each prison and provides tailored psychological assessment and intervention services for people in custody. Psychological interventions include both individual and group based approaches, and are provided through a Stepped Model of Care.
I understand that in addition to working with prison operational staff, the Psychology Service work closely with other multi-disciplinary team members to facilitate cohesive and streamlined care for prisoners, including Healthcare (GPs and Nursing Staff), In-reach Psychiatric Services (Consultant Psychiatrists, Registrars and Psychiatric Nurses), Chaplaincy, the Probation Service, Social Workers, Resettlement Officers and Training and Employment Officers as well as Addiction Counselling Services.
I have requested the information sought by the Deputy from the Irish Prison Service. Unfortunately it was not possible to compile it in the timeframe available but I will write directly to the Deputy when I receive the information.
The following deferred reply was received under Standing Order 51
I refer to your Parliamentary Question Number 653 for written answer on 7 July 2020, which asked for information on the number of prisoners on waiting lists for both psychology and addiction services in the Irish Prison Service. The Irish Prison Service advised me at the time, that the statistics required to answer your question were not readily available and I undertook to provide the information to you as soon as it was collated.
The data request on waiting lists for psychology services and addiction services is set out in the tables below. The data, as it refers to the Psychology Service, is collated periodically, therefore data for the end of February 2020 is not available. The data provided relates to the number of prisoners awaiting access to prison psychology services at the end of June 2020.
The provision of the Psychology Service places an emphasis on mental health and personality disorder presentations, risk presentations (self and others), and trauma-informed approaches. Psychological interventions include both individual and group based approaches and are provided through a Stepped Model of Care.
The Irish Prison Service Psychology Service also provides a critical role in support, consultation, education and training to the broader Irish Prison Service organisation. This includes consultation with senior management in relation to very complex psychological and risk-related presentations and Recruit Prison Officer Training.
I am further advised that the Irish Prison Service Psychology Service operates an open referral policy, meaning the service will accept referrals from all sources. The vast majority of referrals into the Psychology Service are in relation to any, or a combination of the following:
1. Mental health difficulties including, but not exclusive to: Mood and Anxiety Disorders, Disorders of Personality and Behaviour, (complex) Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Self-Harm and Suicidal Behaviours, Eating Disorders, Psychosis and Schizophrenia; and
2. Risk-related presentations including: need for a strengths, needs and risk assessment of the various factors including violence or other antisocial behaviour (past or present), relationship difficulties, employment difficulties, substance misuse, that culminated in the perpetration of an offence (and those factors that support desistance), preparation of Parole Board reports, risk-related intervention by addressing the underlying risk factors that increase the likelihood that an individual will become a victim or a perpetrator of violence, complex case and risk management consultation.
The number of prisoners waiting to access prison psychology services as of June 2020 is, as set out in Table 1.
As the Deputy may appreciate, waiting lists were suspended mid-March due to Covid-19 as the Psychology Service was re-orientated to provide appropriate psychological services to prisoners during the pandemic. However, the Irish Prison Service is currently re-commencing a normal waiting list service. Because of Covid-19, there is a delay to those on the waiting list who are awaiting triage and/or intervention as a result.
The Irish Prison Service Psychology Service currently has a compliment of 10 Senior Psychologists and 15 Grade 2 psychologists across the Service.
Table 1. Psychology Service current waiting list June 2020
|
REFERRAL
|
Number
|
|
Triage:
Intervention:
(includes multiple referrals for different interventions for same individuals)
|
433
1,093
|
Since 2007, the Irish Prison Service has engaged Merchant's Quay Ireland to develop and deliver an effective prison-based Addiction Counselling Service. MQI operate in all prisons except Arbour Hill as, given prisoner profile, there is minimal demand required for drug addiction counselling services at that location.
Addiction counsellors offer counselling, group work and advice with a focus on harm reduction and developing care plans for post-release. The teams work closely with other disciplines, with the clients' consent, to provide a comprehensive set of interventions.
Many prisoners can use their time in custody to identify their underlying issues relating to their drug use and offending behaviour and with appropriate intervention, time can be spent addressing their issues and planning a more positive future for themselves, their family and community. Counsellors can be accessed directly in each prison or through any Irish Prison Service healthcare team member.
The number of prisoners on waiting lists to access addiction services in February 2020, as per Merchants Quay Ireland is set out in Table 2.
Table 2. Waiting List for Drug Addiction Counselling Services
|
Prison
|
|
Number
|
|
Cork
|
|
56
|
|
Limerick
|
|
25
|
|
Midlands
|
|
51
|
|
Portlaoise
|
|
46
|
|
Mountjoy
|
|
46
|
|
Dochas
|
|
26
|
|
Loughan House
|
|
5
|
|
Shelton Abbey
|
|
0
|
|
Cloverhill
|
|
43
|
|
Wheatfield
|
|
80
|
|
Castlerea
|
|
59
|
|
Total
|
|
437
|
I trust this information is of assistance.
Question No. 654 answered with Question No. 642.
