21 August 2020

Patrick Gillespie, Service Director for Offender Care has written a letter of thanks to all Offender Care staff, highlighting areas of good practice from the regulators during Covid19.

In the letter, Patrick thanks staff for working hard “under exceptional pressures during the COVID-19 pandemic”, in what is already one of the “most challenging environments in the public health emergency.

His letter is published in full below.

21st August 2020

Dear Colleagues,

I wanted to take this opportunity to write to you all and thank you personally for all the hard work that you have been undertaking during the pandemic. I recognise that you have been working under exceptional pressures during the COVID-19 pandemic – Offender Care being amongst the most challenging environments in the public health emergency, and having to adjust to new ways of working so that we can support our patients and mitigate the worst impact of the restrictions that they are facing.

Whilst dealing with all the challenges you also had scrutiny visits from Her Majesty’s Inspectorate for Prisons (HMIP) and the Care Quality Commission (CQC) who had a duty to report on treatment and conditions that prisoners face and whether we are managing the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

All our services have been inspected by HMIP and the CQC since the commencement of the pandemic and this week HMIP have published a summary report on all their scrutiny visits. There are lessons to be learned and improvement work to be done. However, this report was accompanied by a table of Notable Positive Practice which I want share with you (as good practice is also learning) which related to our services as follows:

  • At Harmondsworth, health advice about COVID-19 was available on all detainee and staff computers.
  • Bronzefield – peer support work for newly arrived prisoners continued.  Managers ensured this was delivered safely by issuing peer workers with PPE. 
  • At Winchester prisoners were able to go to the chapel for individual support sessions with the chaplains.
  • In Send, shielded prisoners received twice-daily, meaningful welfare checks, which were recorded in detail in an observations book, with regular management checks.  A complex case meeting agreed how many additional welfare checks more vulnerable prisoners should have, and completion of these checks was monitored on a spreadsheet.
  • IRC Harmondsworth, the low numbers in (all detention) centres meant that all detainees could be accommodated in single rooms, usually with toilets and showers.  There was generally good use of translated material at all sites, including NHS material on COVID-19 in multiple languages.  Education classes were still taking place, properly supervised and with reduced numbers of detainees.  Detainees appreciated the opportunity to participate in these classes and described the benefits to their mental health. 
  • At Bronzefield, the antenatal care for women was maintained to the same level as in the community and the pregnant women we spoke to were complimentary about their care.
  • At Woodhill each week, every prisoner was offered a wellbeing check in person by mental health staff. This meant that those experiencing negative impacts of prolonged lockdown had an opportunity to receive support.  Prisoners at Woodhill could access a large DVD library, and many commented on how much they appreciated this provision. Many films were donated by staff.
  • At Feltham, the dental provider, in consultation with commissioners, had registered as an urgent care centre and was offering a responsive service in line with guidelines.  The release pack included a face mask, gloves or hand sanitiser, clear guidelines on handwashing and COVID-19 information which the speech and language therapist had reviewed, along with other information making it easy to understand.
  • Cookham Wood had mitigated the difficulties in children being able to see health services in the community by providing 28 days of medication on release.
  • An effective triage system was in place in Downview with prisoners able to access a nurse or GP as necessary.

This is just some of the themes that the HMIP has picked up but the CQC have also highlighted excellent practice and innovation across the service

  • At High Down: You have responded to the pandemic well by innovating and bringing about improvements to the service. You have created nurse champion roles to monitor patients with long term conditions, and intend to continue with the use of in-cell telephony for some triage and screening work. Collaboration with the prison and partner providers is strengthening relationships and creating new ways of working which you plan to continue post-Covid.
  • At Coldingley the Mental Health Team has started running socially-distanced wellbeing group sessions which are open to all men, and intend to continue with these post-COVID-19. The Mental Health drop-in clinics have been well received, and there are indications that this increased accessibility to the team has supported the significant decrease in open ACCTs.

This is not exhaustive and is only a sample of the amazing work you do. I read all the brilliant compliments that come in about your work and with the feedback from HMIP and the CQC I am truly in awe and inspired by what you do.

I am proud to be your Service Director and look forward to working with you all to continue to develop the service.

Thank you for everything you do to keep our patients safe.

Yours sincerely

 

Patrick Gillespie

Service Director Offender Care