Offender Health

Revolving Doors works closely with Offender Health, a joint department of the Department of Health and Ministry of Justice.  

We are a member of the National Advisory Group supporting the work of the Health and Criminal Justice Programme Board.

Background to Offender Health

The Bradley Report

Lord Bradley's review of people with mental health problems or learning disabilities in the criminal justice system, was published in April in 2009. It explores the potential opportunities and barriers to diverting people with mental health problems or learning disabilities from prison into other services. It covers all aspects of the 'offender pathway' including prevention and early intervention. Read RDA's response to the Bradley report here.

In response to the Bradley Report, the Labour Government established the Health and Criminal Justice Programme Board comprising of relevant government departments and agencies across health, social care and criminal justice, with the aim of developing a national delivery plan to implement Lord Bradley's recommendations.

Improving Health Supporting Justice

 The delivery plan, Improving Health Supporting Justice, which also incorporated responses from the 2007/8 consultation of the same name, was published in November 2009. The plan included five key cross-departmental objectives:

1. Improving the efficiency and effectiveness of systems
2. Working in partnership
3. Improving capacity and capability
4. Equity of access to services
5. Improving pathways and continuity of care

A separate strategy, Healthy Children, Safer Communities, was developed to address the health needs of children in contact with the criminal justice system, published in December 2009.

Work under the Coalition Government

The Coalition Government recognise the importance of offender health and are committed to improving the health of offenders and taking forward the recommendations of the Bradley Report.

In May 2010, Care Services Minister Paul Burstow said: "Offenders are more likely to have poor health so the system designed to support them must be robust. The Department [of Health] is working closely with the NHS and partners to make sure offenders have access to the care they need when they need it."

In October 2010, the Spending Review document stated: "The Government will ... take forward proposals to invest in mental health liaison services at police stations and courts to intervene at an early stage, diverting mentally ill offenders away from the justice system and into treatment."