The health of prisoners: summary of NICE guidance

#### What you need to know Compared with the general population, adults in contact with the criminal justice system have higher rates of mental and physical health problems. Such people include those under arrest, in prison, on license, or serving a community sentence. Most live in the community or serve short custodial sentences,1 and will feature on the patient list of most general practices. Care for these people should be equivalent to that of people without a history of contact with the criminal justice system. There is little to suggest that, for most people, treatments that are effective in a non-criminal justice setting are not effective in the criminal justice setting. Some of the most prevalent problems include substance misuse, personality disorder, depression, anxiety, respiratory disease, diabetes, and other chronic health conditions. Being held in prison is associated with increased suicide rates and high levels of mental health problems. People in contact with the criminal justice system should have the same access to NHS treatment as the general population at all stages. Lack of access to healthcare can exacerbate existing problems and affect reintegration to society …