Poor interoperability between digital programs and challenges with GP registration processes in prisons are inflicting dangers to affected person security, in accordance with an investigation by the Well being Companies Security Investigations Physique (HSSIB).
The report, ‘Healthcare provision in prisons‘, printed on 24 July 2025, explores how info is shared between jail operational IT programs and jail healthcare IT programs.
HSSIB discovered that jail safety and jail healthcare groups use totally different IT programs that can’t mechanically share knowledge, that means that essential affected person info – comparable to whether or not an individual poses a danger to themselves or others – isn’t all the time obtainable to the clinicians treating them.
Workers in jail healthcare departments are additionally required to duplicate appointment info throughout each programs, which may quantity to hundreds of entries per thirty days, considerably rising administrative workload and the potential for errors.
Dave Frasssam, senior security investigator at HSSIB, mentioned: “Our investigation discovered that there are vital gaps in digital programs, affecting the care of individuals in prisons.
“The dearth of interoperability between the jail operational IT system and the jail healthcare IT system is an pressing situation that must be addressed as a result of very important info is being misplaced – the jail workforce advised us doubling up on entries creates a major burden, that means errors usually tend to happen.
“The report additionally emphasises that folks in jail have to be given the time and house to grasp what the switch of registration from their group GP to the jail GP means.
“Sufferers in jail that have been spoken to throughout the investigation strengthened that the method could possibly be complicated and rushed.”
The report notes that whereas the jail healthcare IT system has been tailored to permit future interoperability, the jail operational IT programs haven’t and there are at the moment no plans to replace them.
HSSIB has really helpful that HM Jail and Probation Companies be certain that “the event of the Digital Jail Companies system consists of interoperability with healthcare IT programs” to make sure related info is offered on the level of want.
It additionally requires NHS England and the Division of Well being and Social Care (DHSC) to “embody inside its healthcare IT procurement system specification the necessity to assist interoperability between the operational jail IT programs and any future jail healthcare IT system”.
Fassam mentioned: “By enhancing course of and streamlining digital programs, there may be alternative to cut back duplication and inefficiency, guarantee smoother transitions for folks in jail again to the group on launch and most significantly guarantee higher look after sufferers in jail, whether or not they want an pressing appointment or are monitoring a long-term continual situation.”
A spokesperson for NHSE advised Digital Well being Information that it’s working to enhance assist for prisons, together with reprocuring an enhanced medical IT system that may simply join with different programs, together with operational programs inside prisons.
“We’re additionally persevering with to offer assist to register with a neighborhood GP apply to make sure continuity of care when folks in jail go away and return to the group,” they mentioned.
Digital Well being Information contacted DHSC and HM Jail and Probation Companies for remark.
