Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust (NHFT) has announced its decision to terminate its contract to provide healthcare services to prisoners across the East Midlands, citing challenges in maintaining service quality and resources. The move comes in the wake of a critical Care Quality Commission (CQC) report, which highlighted serious issues within the trust’s mental health services.
Currently, NHFT is responsible for healthcare at seven prisons and one immigration centre, including HMP Nottingham, HMP Ranby, HMP Lowdham Grange, and HMP Fosse Way, among others. In a letter to staff, which was reviewed by the BBC, the trust explained that the decision to withdraw from the contract was a “difficult” one, driven by the need to focus on improvements in other areas after a CQC Section 48 review last year.
The review followed the case of Valdo Calocane, a paranoid schizophrenic who was responsible for the 2023 killings of three people in Nottingham. The CQC’s findings revealed “a series of errors, omissions, and misjudgments” in the care provided to Calocane, prompting calls for significant improvements in the trust’s mental health services.
Becky Sutton, the trust’s chief operating officer, confirmed that NHFT had served notice on its offender health contracts, which are managed on behalf of NHS England. “Following the Section 48 recommendations, our priority is to focus our capacity and resources on achieving the objectives of our Integrated Improvement Plan,” Sutton said. She added that NHFT would work closely with NHS England and prison services to ensure a smooth transition to a new provider.
The trust also noted difficulties in recruiting staff for the prison healthcare services, suggesting that a specialist provider might be better equipped to handle these challenges. Additionally, NHFT emphasized that its focus must remain on addressing the CQC’s recommendations, particularly those stemming from the Calocane case, making the shift in responsibility a necessary step.
The trust clarified that the decision to withdraw would not impact its operations at Rampton Hospital, a secure mental health unit in Nottinghamshire, where it continues to care for prisoners with mental health needs.
An NHS England spokesperson assured that efforts are underway to ensure that healthcare services at the affected sites are maintained until a new provider is identified.
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