Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health, what steps his Department is taking to improve the quality of assessments of prisoners diagnosed with psychosis before they are released.

NHS England commissions health care to meet the needs of the prison population and to ensure continuity of care both on reception and on release from prison.

Assessments of individuals’ mental health are carried out as part of early days screening, continuity of care and treatment during the sentence and planning for release.

NHS England’s national service specification for mental health services sets out what is expected of healthcare providers to ensure continuity of care and support, and reintegration with community services, upon release from the establishment.

Where a mental health assessment is required for parole purposes, the commissioning of these assessments is an issue for the National Offender Management Service.