Mary Henry (Independent)

I support amendment No. 25. I cannot understand why a member of a visiting committee was excluded in the provision. I am also concerned that with regard to health care, and the person can be kept in this situation for two months, the Minister has only mentioned a doctor. What if the person is in agony with an impacted wisdom tooth? Is a dentist permitted? It is cruel and inhumane treatment if somebody is not allowed to treat that complaint. What if the person has an injury? There might have been a fracas and that is the reason the person has ended up in this position.

Would it not be wiser to use the phrase "health care worker" to cover dentists, physiotherapists or podiatrists, if there are verrucas growing up to his knees? It is unwise to use the word "doctor" because it could be the case that a doctor is not the person required to deal with the medical condition the prisoner might have. Frequently the people who are subject to prison discipline have got into that mess because they were involved in a fight and the health care worker they require might not necessarily be a doctor. The provision states that the person can be kept excluded for a period of up to 60 days, which is a long time to neglect giving them specific medical treatment.