Ms Emer Campbell:

From a nursing point of view, as part of somebody's warrant, a judge may have identified that he or she should have a psychiatric assessment. That would be in the case where an established diagnosis has not been provided. Depending on how well or unwell somebody is, a family will often have given collateral information and that will often form part of the person's defence in court. That would be presented like a psychiatric report if the person has a diagnosis. We would then pursue that within the prison.

There are, however, people who are obviously not formally diagnosed in advance of coming in. It would be either picked up at the committal interview that they are unwell or, working with other services, we would refer them to the forensic in-reach psychiatry team, which is a huge support to us and is always available. We have nurses, consultants, registrars and full teams coming in. They work together with psychiatry, psychology and nursing teams to get a diagnosis and find appropriate treatment plans and work placements for such persons.

Deputy Ellis asked about what happens if people do not go to work or into education. It is very much taken into account. If somebody has an established disability or challenge, the nursing team would communicate with the work and training officers and operational staff on the landings to basically say a person might not be good to work today or might be a little slow in the morning. The very experienced prison officers know to give somebody a little more time. Somebody may need a bit of a jolly along or a little encouragement. That is all very much taken into account and nobody is penalised. There is an incentivised regime where people are rewarded and encouraged. We were asked whether people are encouraged to go into education. They are encouraged to be active throughout the day by engaging in work, training or education. Nobody is ever penalised if they have a disability, however. We have often had to say a person needs a bit of a break from going to workshops on a certain day and that while it might be good for them to be engaged, they are just not able at that time. We would always intervene. Again, it is a multidisciplinary team approach involving the prison officers and the psychology, nursing and psychiatry teams working together in one direction, with the prison governors, to try to make an appropriate plan that is flexible. The plan changes as people move through their sentences and may become more settled or well.