H. M. Prison Eastwood Park is a local and remand prison and Young Offenders Institute that can accommodate up to 363 people. It accommodates adult females and young women from 18 to 21 years. The site also includes the Mary Carpenter Unit that accommodates up to 16 young women under the age of 18 years.

Bristol Community Health CIC (BCH) provided nursing services for primary care at H. M Prison Eastwood Park. We carried an inspection of BCH in co-ordination with the H.M Inspectorate of Prisons. It took place over a period of two days, 13 and 14 August 2012.

The H.M. Inspectorate of Prisons only inspected the Mary Carpenter Unit. We however took the opportunity to inspect the service provided by BCH for the whole prison population.

Nursing staff employed by BCH worked in partnership with a range of other health care professionals and organisations to provide comprehensive healthcare to people at H.M Prison Eastwood Park .

The other healthcare professionals and organisations included GPs from a local practice, a dental service, and NHS Trusts providing, ante and post natal care, podiatry, optometry, mental health services and drug treatment services for adults and young people.

As a remand prison the majority of the people at H. M. Prison Eastwood Park were accommodated for 28 days or less. The time for identifying health needs and treating the health conditions of some people can therefore be limited and may be interrupted or discontinued.

We spoke with 18 people in the main prison and two of the six people who were accommodated in the Mary Carpenter Unit at the time of our inspection. It was apparent that most were unaware there were a range of different healthcare organisations involved in meeting their needs.

People we spoke with generally expressed positive views about the healthcare they received. Many told us that the healthcare service they received at Eastwood Park was better than the service they received in the community. One person said, “It’s been really good. I have had a full service from top to bottom. I now have a full set of teeth and had a smear test for cervical cancer”

People told us they were given health checks on admission to the prison. They said they were given information about the prison healthcare centre called “Pathways”. They told us that clinics were available to help them manage a range of health problems such as diabetes, asthma, smoking cessation and blood borne viruses. One person said, “I am going to try something to help me stop smoking”.

People told us that they received advice from healthcare staff and were involved in planning any treatment they received. They said that healthcare staff treated them with respect. They told us they knew how to complain about healthcare services if they were dissatisfied.

People told us that the health care staff were polite and either called them by their first names or “Miss” followed by their surnames. They said they felt safe in the Pathways Healthcare Centre. Young people said they were always escorted to the health care centre and were kept separated from older people and consequently did not feel intimidated or threatened.