Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what criteria his Department is using to monitor the performance of healthcare providers in English prisons and effect of those services on the overall health and well-being of prisoners.

Since 2013, NHS England has been responsible for commissioning health services in public sector prisons in England. When contracts are awarded a plan is established between NHS England, as commissioner, and the provider to ensure a smooth transition in the delivery of the contract specifications if there has been a change of provider, or, if the provider remains the same, a planned approach to how the provider will meet any new requirements that sit within the new contract specification.

Providers and commissioners meet on a quarterly basis, for the life of the contract for contract and performance management reviews. Where there are performance issues these meetings are more frequent, weekly or monthly, and the providers will be required to provide a remedial action plan against which they will be monitored and measured.

If the providers fail to meet the required quality for the delivery of the service at any time during the life of the contract, and after any improvement planning has not been productive, the local commissioners can give notice on the contract and re-procure the services.