Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is their assessment of each of the recommendations to the Department of Health in the report <i>Bridging the Gap between Academics and Policy Makers</i> by researchers from Buckinghamshire New University and the University of Bristol, published on 20 April.

We have made no assessment.

NHS England, and all National Health Service organisations, have a duty to have due regard to the need to reduce health inequalities in access to health services and health outcomes achieved, as well as having regard to the different needs of groups with characteristics protected under the Equality Act 2010.

As part of its contractual arrangements for provision of healthcare in prisons, NHS England expects that care planning and delivery of services must be equitable for all prisoners and take into consideration the diversity of the prison population. This would include Gypsies, Travellers and the Roma communities.

The Equality Delivery System (EDS) for the NHS helps all NHS organisations, in discussion with local partners and patients, to review and improve their performance for people with characteristics protected under the Equality Act. By using the EDS, NHS organisations can ensure they are delivering on the public sector Equality Duty.

Every person entering a place of detention will have an initial health screen at reception where health needs are assessed and where appropriate referrals are made to other services, including substance misuse services.