Question to the Ministry of Justice:

To ask the Secretary of State for Justice, what guidance is available for prison officers for dealing with people entering custody found to have a previously acquired brain injury.

All incoming prisoners must be medically examined to determine whether they have any physical or mental health needs, in order to identify any follow-up action that is needed and to ensure it is taken. This includes making sure that anyone who needs to know about an individual prisoner’s healthcare requirements is properly informed.

To improve support for neurodivergent prisoners, a new role, the Neurodiversity Support Manager (NSM), has been created and implemented across the Prison Service. NSMs are responsible for implementing a whole-prisons approach to neurodiversity, including Acquired Brain Injury. Their responsibilities include improving processes to identify and support prisoner needs, and ensuring neurodivergent prisoners can access education, skills, and work opportunities within the prison. They also provide training and guidance for prison staff to equip them better to support neurodivergent individuals in their prison.