Seymour Crawford
Ceist:37 Mr. Crawford asked the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform the number of psychiatrists available to prisoners at Mountjoy Prison; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [24191/99]
Written Answers. - Prison Medical Service.
Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform (Mr. O'Donoghue): Psychiatric services are provided to prisons and places of detention by visiting psychiatrists employed by the health boards. The psychiatric service of the Eastern Health Board at the Central Mental Hospital, Dundrum provide regular weekly counselling and treatment sessions at the Dublin prisons.
I am advised by the director general for the Prison Service that the service provided to Mountjoy Prison consists of eight sessions per week. This includes a daily clinic in the main prison and one weekly clinic each in the separation unit, the health care unit and the women's prison. For the last four months, there has been no waiting list of any significance for clinics.
Notwithstanding this, I accept that this level of provision is not satisfactory given current demands in the prison and I am advised that senior prisons officials have been working with the Eastern Health Board to address the situation.
I am informed that, arising from these discussions, the health board is in the process of appointing a consultant forensic psychiatrist who will be allocated four sessions per week to prisons work in its region based at Mountjoy Prison initially. It is proposed that the consultant will have the support of three registrars assigned to the prisons, one to be associated with Mountjoy, and a social worker and clerical assistance.
This consultant will also have sessional commitments to the Central Mental Hospital and to risk assessment evaluations in the general psychiatric services. In my view and the view of the Eastern Health Board, this post holder will be in a position to liaise between the health board and the Prison Service in assessing and determining what changes are needed in the level, pattern and operation of mental health services in prison and to identify ways of promoting such change.
It has been agreed with the Eastern Health Board that a service agreement outlining the services to be provided – accountability, structures, funding requirements and so on – should be concluded. This is due to be discussed further with the health board next month. I have recently established a multidisciplinary group to review the structures and organisation of prison health care services. The review body will be under the chairmanship of Mr. John Olden, second vice-president of the Council of Europe Committee for the Prevention of Torture, Inhuman and Degrading Treatment of Persons in Custody and former secretary of Roinn na Gaeltachta.
The membership of the review group will consist of representatives of the Department of Justice, Equality and Law Reform; Department of Health and Children; Department of Finance; director of prison medical services; a senior prison governor; a nominee of the Irish College of General Practitioners, representing GP interests; a nominee of the Irish division, the Royal College of Psychiatrists, representing the interests of psychiatry; a nominee of An Bord Altranais, representing professional nursing interests; a nominee of the Pharmaceutical Society, representing professional pharmacy interests; and a nominee of the Irish Dental Council, representing professional dental interests. Among other issues the group is being asked to consider and make recommendations regarding the provision of psychiatric services to prisoners, taking into account changes in service provision generally and the potential ramifications of possible new mental health legislation.
I have asked the group to invite submissions from the general public as well as from special interest groups in relation to its review. This review will obviously take some time to complete. In the meantime, I have asked the director general of the Prison Service to deal expeditiously as possible with immediate current problems in the prison medical services area.