Actions speak louder: A second review of healthcare in ... - HMCPSI
Actions speak louder: A second review of healthcare in ... - HMCPSI
Actions speak louder: A second review of healthcare in ... - HMCPSI
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ACTIONS SPEAK LOUDER<br />
FINDINGS<br />
<strong>in</strong>volve health <strong>in</strong>terventions were very rarely used and, although ‘stand-down’<br />
reports were used to speed up the court sentenc<strong>in</strong>g process, there was usually<br />
no time, or opportunity, to f<strong>in</strong>d out about health needs.<br />
Contributions by health workers to the ongo<strong>in</strong>g tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> magistrates were more<br />
common, particularly <strong>in</strong> relation to develop<strong>in</strong>g a greater understand<strong>in</strong>g <strong>of</strong> the<br />
causes, effects and treatment <strong>of</strong> substance misuse. Where this tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g has been<br />
provided, benefits have <strong>in</strong>cluded:<br />
• A greater awareness <strong>of</strong> what support can be provided.<br />
• Sentenc<strong>in</strong>g that has <strong>in</strong>cluded more specific health components.<br />
• Sentenc<strong>in</strong>g that has benefited from good health <strong>in</strong>formation.<br />
There were too many occasions, however, where health <strong>in</strong>formation from Asset<br />
was not <strong>in</strong>cluded <strong>in</strong> the PSR and where no relevant health report was submitted<br />
as a supplement, or addendum.<br />
Good practice from <strong>in</strong>spection reports<br />
“The health workers had done some useful tra<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g with courts about<br />
mental health assessment reports to highlight the options available to<br />
courts other than the use <strong>of</strong> psychiatric reports.”<br />
Work with children and young people <strong>in</strong> the community<br />
There were wide variations between YOTs <strong>in</strong> the quality <strong>of</strong> assessment that enables<br />
them to identify the health needs <strong>of</strong> children and young people who are likely to<br />
<strong>of</strong>fend. The first <strong>review</strong> made a specific recommendation that:<br />
“Managers <strong>of</strong> youth <strong>of</strong>fend<strong>in</strong>g teams, their <strong>healthcare</strong> workers and their substance<br />
misuse workers should ensure that: the assessment and referral processes for<br />
health and substance misuse issues are sufficiently robust<br />
and efficient”.<br />
Tools used to assess <strong>in</strong>dividuals for preventative and other services were not used<br />
consistently by workers with<strong>in</strong> YOTs 15 . These are:<br />
• Onset (for prevention work) and CAF (Common Assessment Framework).<br />
• Asset (for community and custodial work).<br />
• SQIFA (screen<strong>in</strong>g questionnaire <strong>in</strong>terview for adolescents) and SIFA<br />
(screen<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong>terview for adolescents) (to more directly assess health needs).<br />
15<br />
This assessment should be carried out <strong>in</strong> l<strong>in</strong>e with YJB Key Elements <strong>of</strong> Effective Practice.<br />
18