New Approach Targets Better Prison Healthcare for Women

The new IP-SIS Framework aims to help women get the right support earlier, reduce inequalities in care and ensure that support continues after they leave prison.

Many women in prison have experienced trauma, which can affect their mental health, their interactions with services and the way they experience healthcare.

The new approach calls for healthcare that recognises these experiences, builds trust and avoids causing further distress. It also encourages services to identify mental health needs early, before they reach crisis point.

Removing barriers to healthcare

The researchers highlight the importance of making healthcare accessible to women from different backgrounds and ensuring that language, communication or accessibility needs do not become a barrier to receiving care.

This could include providing interpreters and accessible information, using clear language and offering longer appointments where needed.

Challenges of providing care in prison

The Framework was developed from work led by researchers in our Department of Psychology, working with women with lived experience and the Unlock Charity.

This research highlighted some of the challenges of meeting women's healthcare needs in a prison environment.

Limited time outside cells, pressures on prison staff and periods of restricted movement can all make it harder for women to access healthcare appointments.

The new approach also calls for better links between prison and community healthcare services so that support does not stop when a woman leaves prison.

Ultimately, the researchers hope the approach will help reduce inequalities, build greater trust in healthcare and support better health outcomes for women living with severe mental illness, both in prison and after their release