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Tuberculosis

Answer

The Department and the Health Protection Agency published guidance for prison staff to improve the detection of infectious diseases, including tuberculosis (TB), in prisons, ““Prevention of infection and communicable disease control in prisons and places of detention”” in August 2011. A copy of this publication has been placed in the Library and is available online at:"www.hpa.org.uk/webc/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_C/1309970446427"Eight prisons in England have been equipped with digital x-ray machines and related information technology systems to improve detection of infectious TB earlier in the course of imprisonment and to reduce the risk of onward transmission.The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence published good practice guidance ““Identifying and managing tuberculosis among hard-to-reach groups”” in March aimed at raising awareness, identifying and managing TB in hard to reach groups, including the homeless, prisoners and vulnerable migrants. A copy of this publication has been placed in the Library and is available online at:"www.nice.org.uk/nicemedia/live/13683/58591/58591.pdf"Under the Health and Social Care Act 2012, responsibility for commissioning offender health care passes from primary care trusts to the national health service Commissioning Board (NHSCB) in April 2013. From this date, the NHSCB will commission services for prisoners of all ages and secure the same access to health and social care services and appropriate to their needs in line with the standards set for the rest of the population.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

104355; 543 c876-7W

Session

2010-12

Related items

Deposited Paper DEP2012-0685
Tuesday, 24 April 2012
Deposited papers
House of Commons

Subjects

Medical treatments Prisoners Tuberculosis

Link

View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk