Archived: Risley Prison - IDTS

The integrated drugs treatment service (IDTS) at HMP Risley provided interventions to enable prisoners to recover from their drug or alcohol addiction and also provided a maintenance service to other prisoners. The IDTS aimed to enable prisoners to participate positively in their local communities upon release from prison.

Prisoners who used the service told us: 'It's a very, very good service.'

One prisoner said: 'It's good. They give me my medication.'

And another prisoner said of nursing staff and health assistants; 'Staff are excellent'.

We found since our last visit that the registered manager had put in place a number of measures to ensure the safe administration of medicines within the prison. This included an immediate medication audit, a review of medication records and all staff with responsibility for medication administration had updated their medication training.

Commissioners told us they were satisfied with the service which CRI provided within HMP Risley.

The integrated drugs treatment service (IDTS) at HMP Risley provided interventions to enable prisoners to recover from their drug or alcohol addiction and also provided a maintenance service to other prisoners. The IDTS aimed to enable prisoners to participate positively in their local communities upon release from prison.

Prisoners told us: 'This is a brilliant service'. One prisoner described the service as 'spot on'.

Another prisoner told us: 'They're (staff) doing a good job, I'm happy with my treatment'.

We found that, CRI (Crime Reduction Initiatives) worked closely with other healthcare organisations based in HMP Risley.

We looked at what substance misuse services were available to prisoners. We found that prisoners had access to a good range of information that informed them of services that were available at HMP Risley.

We found that prisoners at HMP Risley accessed treatment and support from one or more service providers who operated from within the prison, including GP services, a range of medical services and mental health services and that they received a co-ordinated response.

We had a number of concerns about the way CRI managed medicines including methadone across the prison site and about record keeping. We found that there were insufficient auditing arrangements in place to ensure the safe management of medication.