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Written question asked by Chris Ruane (Labour) on Thursday, 5 September 2019, in the House of Commons. It was due for an answer on Monday, 9 September 2019. It was answered by Nadine Dorries (Conservative) on Monday, 9 September 2019 on behalf of the Department of Health and Social Care.


Mental Health Services: Prisons

Question

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what recent assessment his Department has made of the effectiveness of meditation techniques in prisoners' (a) mental health and (b) other health care.

Answer

In March 2017, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published a guideline on mental health of adults in contact with the criminal justice system (NG66). Meditation for promoting mental health and wellbeing was considered during the development of the guideline. However, the guideline committee considered the evidence insufficient to support any specific recommendations on meditation.

NICE also published a guideline on physical health of people in prison (NG57) in November 2016, which made recommendations on the promotion of prisoners’ health and wellbeing. Meditation was not considered during the development of this guideline.


Secondary information

Type
Written question
Reference
287483
Session
2017-19
Subjects
Prisons Mental health services
Link
View this Written question on www.parliament.uk