Leigh Day runs prison seminar

Leigh Day partner Sean Humber and solicitor Benjamin Burrows are today hosting a seminar at the firm’s offices on the treatment and care of prisoners on 10 November 2011. Aimed specifically at members of Independent Monitoring Boards (IMBs), it will examine healthcare and disability issues.

There are IMBs attached  to all of the 139 prisons in England and Wales. IMB members are ordinary members of the public who play a vital role in monitoring the day-to-day life of the prison, making sure that proper standards of treatment and care are maintained.

It is now accepted that prisoners are entitled to the same standard of health care as those in the wider community and  responsibility for commissioning healthcare has in recent years passed from the Prison Service to the NHS.  Unfortunately, despite these changes, the actual provision of healthcare remains fragmented and often sub-standard.

Similarly, although it is now also accepted that  the provisions of the Disability Discrimination Act 1995 and, more recently, the Equality Act 2010 apply in prison, disability needs are often poorly met. All too often,  the Prison Service, healthcare providers and local authorities argue amongst themselves about who is responsible for assessing and addressing disability needs and nothing is done.

Juliet Lyon, director of the Prison Reform Trust, will chair the seminar. As well as presentations from Sean and Ben, there will also be talks from a medical practitioner, an occupational therapist, barristers specialising in prison law and campaigners. They will look at the healthcare and disability problems commonly faced by prisoners and the legal obligations of the various bodies. They will highlight examples of good practice and see what prisoners and concerned parties can do if problems arise to make sure their needs are met.