Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that this website contains the names and images of people who have passed
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are advised that this website contains the names and images of people who have passed
This is a RCIADIC recommendation
153
Ongoing review of prison medical services
a) Prison Medical Services should be the subject of ongoing review in the light of experiences in all jurisdictions;
b) The issue of confidentiality between prison medical staff and prisoners should be addressed by the relevant bodies, including prisoner groups; and
c) Whatever administrative model for the delivery of prison medical services is adopted, it is essential that medical staff should be responsible to professional medical officers rather than to prison administrators.
Background
In its 1991 Final Report, the Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody made reference to a recommendation of the Interim Report which stated that governments should ensure that 'Prison Medical Services are completely independent of Departments of Correction'. It explained that the principal bases for this recommendation were:
• the importance of maintaining a confidential relationship between prisoners and prison medical staff;
• the issue of professional independence and accountability; and
• the relationship between prison medical staff and corrections officers.
The Commission identified numerous reviews, undertaken in various jurisdictions following the recommendations of the Interim Report, which rejected the proposition that Prison Medical Services should be independent from corrections authorities.