Lord Bradley made 82 recommendations, many of which Lord Bradley himself recognised needed further work to ensure that all implications are considered for children, young people and adults. The Government have accepted all recommendations and the direction set out in the report and has committed to publish a cross-departmental Health and Criminal Justice Strategic Delivery Plan by the end of October 2009.
A Health and Criminal Justice National Programme Board has been fully operational since June 2009 bringing together senior officials in the key departments (Department of Health, Ministry of Justice, Home Office, Department for Children, Schools and Families). The Programme Board has been meeting monthly to pull together the national delivery plan and ensure appropriate cross-government representation and engagement as actions are being developed.
The Delivery Plan will set out our shared vision for improving health and social care services for all those in touch with the criminal justice system and the newly established Health and Criminal Justice Programme Board are working hard to ensure that all the Bradley recommendations are fully incorporated into this cross-government plan.
National data on prison transfers for the current 12-week waiting standard are collected on a quarterly basis with transfer rates compared against a 2005-06 baseline. The data indicate a downward trend in prisoners waiting in excess of 12-weeks for transfers; since 2005-06, these numbers have reduced by 33 per cent.
Date Number of prisoners April—June 2005 62 September 2005 58 October—December 2005 40 January—March 2006 43 April—June 2006 44 July—September 2006 43 October—December 2006 38 January—March 2007 44 April—June 2007 46 July—September 2007 51 October—December 2007 41 January—March 2008 24 April—June 2008 36 July—September 2008 34 October—December 2008 26 January—March 2009 40 April—June 2009 27
(2) whether the Government have accepted in full the recommendation to establish a national advisory group, made in Lord Bradley's review of people with mental health problems or learning disabilities in the criminal justice system.
The membership of the national health and criminal justice programme board is as follows:
Name Organisation David Behan Department of Health Anita Barucha HM Courts Service Andrew Campbell Department for Communities and Local Government Gary Cann Association of Chief Police Officers Helen Edwards Ministry of Justice Anne Jackson Department for Children, Schools and Families David Lamberti HM Treasury Peter Lewis Crown Prosecution Service Peter Makeham Home Office Ian Cumming West Midlands Strategic Health Authority Harvey Redgrave Prime Minister's Strategy Unit Phil Wheatley National Offender Management Service Naomi Eisenstadt Social Exclusion Unit Paul Williams NHS Wales To be confirmed Chair, Advisory Group
The Government have fully accepted Lord Bradley’s recommendation that a national advisory group be established to support Ministers and the health and criminal justice programme board in their development of this agenda. The cross-departmental national health and criminal justice programme board has been fully operational since June 2009 and alongside officials, has been developing arrangements for the set up of the national advisory group. The membership of the national advisory group is currently being agreed by Ministers and will be confirmed shortly.
The Government recognise the importance of ensuring that prisoners with severe mental illness who require treatment in hospital have timely access to that treatment. The Government’s response of 30 April 2009 to Lord Bradley’s Report accepted in principle the direction in respect of 14-day prison transfers.
The Government are considering the feasibility of introducing a 14-day transfer standard. A specific project to address prison transfers has been established, this is focusing on the provision of guidance and support to the national health service and criminal justice system to ensure transfers happen both smoothly and as quickly as possible. The Government will make a further report to Parliament in the autumn.