RESPONSE TO INFORMATION REQUESTED BY THE NATIONAL PATIENTS SAFETY AGENCY (NPSA) FROM THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

Received: September 15th 2006

Information came via the Prison Health Service who contacted the Home Office for the information. Immigration Detention Centres

Re-feeding is now the subject of work being taken forward by the Prison Healthcare Policy Unit at the Department of Health.

2) Malaria prophylaxis for people in detention who are at risk of deportation.

Malaria prophylaxis is being offered to vulnerable persons (especially pregnant  women and young children) who are returning to high risk areas.

Further guidance is being worked up on this issue in conjunction with the Health Protection Agency’s Advisory Committee on Malaria Prevention.

3) Recognition of persons who fit criteria as "not fit to be detained/removed from UK" by reason of medical or psychiatric illness.

Fitness to detain and/or remove from the UK is taken into account at key stages in the process.

4) Recognition of persons showing evidence of a history of torture.

Independent evidence of torture continues to be a factor that weighs heavily against detention, and there are systems in place for ensuring that information about such evidence is communicated to caseworkers and those managing a person's detention.

5) Protection of medical confidentiality for hospitalised detainees and during outpatient care.

The usual arrangements for protecting patient and medical confidentiality in the NHS will apply.

6) Transfer of detainees - medical unsuitability for handcuffing.

Detainees are only handcuffed while under escort on the basis of a risk assessment of both the detainee and their location. Any medical concerns would be fed in to that assessment. While undergoing medical treatment or examination away from the removal centre detainees would not normally be handcuffed but in the event, would be removed at the request of medical staff.