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Welcome to the EuroPris Knowledge Management System. The table below shows questions and responses from European National Agencies. Select a question for more information or use the filters on the left to narrow down questions based on Agency or Category.
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Introduction: “The Irish Prison Service (IPS) is currently considering the issue of the assessment of the fitness of those in custody to attend work training, education and external employment activities in prison. The Irish Prison Service, in respect of attendance at work, consider that persons in custody are employees , and under our Safety, Health and Welfare Act 2005, prison doctors are required to cooperate with their employer (IPS) in regard to medical suitability of persons in custody to undertake work in the prison, or externally. To date, however, there has been no formal agreement or consistency across the prison estate about how this process should work. The IPS is currently reviewing this issue, with a view to agreeing the roles, if any, of health care staff and the prison doctor in this matter. In that regard, I would be very grateful for any information you can provide about current practice in your jurisdiction i.e.
In this moment, there is an important lack of doctors in Spanish Prisons. Inmate's health issues depend on Spanish Prison Services, but the main resources belong to the Public Health System. That is the reason why prison doctors/nurses have no time and resources to develope other interesting and necessary functions as this one. Spanish Prison Service is trying to change this situation.
When does this assessment take place? Is this done for all prisoners or only those considering/proposed for work? Who instigates/requests a review of the original assessment and how often is this undertaken?The same as before.
Is there an agreed template for such assessments e.g. Prisoner “Self Declaration” on their fitness to work, a Health Screening Questionnaire and/or a medical examination?The same as before.
Is there a specific assessment for specific work practices e.g. working in kitchen, in welding workshop, carpentry workshop etc.?When inmates work, there are regular courses and preparation on prevention of occupational hazards.
Is the outcome of the assessment recorded as part of the person’s healthcare record? How is the outcome of the assessment or update communicated to the Governor/Officer in charge of the Work Training or School?Specific professionals control if inmates have done the course, but there are no doctors or health professionals in charge of this.
The Health Service of the Belgian Prison Service does not carry out any fitness or health assessment for work. The exception concerns work with food or preparation of food.
When does this assessment take place? Is this done for all prisoners or only those considering/proposed for work? Who instigates/requests a review of the original assessment and how often is this undertaken?irrelevant
Is there an agreed template for such assessments e.g. Prisoner “Self Declaration” on their fitness to work, a Health Screening Questionnaire and/or a medical examination?irrelevant
Is there a specific assessment for specific work practices e.g. working in kitchen, in welding workshop, carpentry workshop etc.?irrelevant
Is the outcome of the assessment recorded as part of the person’s healthcare record? How is the outcome of the assessment or update communicated to the Governor/Officer in charge of the Work Training or School?irrelevant
Does the prison doctor or nurse undertake a specific “fitness to work” assessment? Yes If so, is this part of the routine work of doctors/nurses in the prison? Yes
When does this assessment take place? Is this done for all prisoners or only those considering/proposed for work? Who instigates/requests a review of the original assessment and how often is this undertaken?When does this assessment take place? Is this done for all prisoners or only those considering/proposed for work? All prisoners are checked in three days from incarceration by healthcare services, usually first by nurse and doctror if needed. Who instigates/requests a review of the original assessment and how often is this undertaken? Prison staff can request a new assesment from health services if needed.
Is there an agreed template for such assessments e.g. Prisoner “Self Declaration” on their fitness to work, a Health Screening Questionnaire and/or a medical examination?No.
Is there a specific assessment for specific work practices e.g. working in kitchen, in welding workshop, carpentry workshop etc.?No. Should special needs appear they are discussed together with prison and health care staff and prisoner.
Is the outcome of the assessment recorded as part of the person’s healthcare record? How is the outcome of the assessment or update communicated to the Governor/Officer in charge of the Work Training or School?The result of assesment is recorded into patient information system and into prisoner information system. Fitnes to work is assessed simply in three grades, 0 being not able.
All individuals are medically assessed by our Healthcare partners during the committal process and scored on their individual level based on 3 levels 1-3. This will also be used to assess the suitability for specific roles of employment/education/learning across the establishment.
When does this assessment take place? Is this done for all prisoners or only those considering/proposed for work? Who instigates/requests a review of the original assessment and how often is this undertaken?Assessment takes place the first day of committal. A review can be requested and completed by our Healthcare partner within the individual’s residential area for a specific role.
Is there an agreed template for such assessments e.g. Prisoner “Self Declaration” on their fitness to work, a Health Screening Questionnaire and/or a medical examination?A medical screening is completed in consultation with the individual to assess the level 1-3 that is then matched to suitable employment/education/learning across the establishment areas on the scoring mechanism.
Is there a specific assessment for specific work practices e.g. working in kitchen, in welding workshop, carpentry workshop etc.?This is in line with the scoring mechanism but a separate induction will also take place at specific locations of activity if deemed necessary.
Is the outcome of the assessment recorded as part of the person’s healthcare record? How is the outcome of the assessment or update communicated to the Governor/Officer in charge of the Work Training or School?The score is recorded on our management records for all relevant parties to view to placing/offering appropriate activities.
An inmate‘s health status is examined by a GP before employment
When does this assessment take place? Is this done for all prisoners or only those considering/proposed for work? Who instigates/requests a review of the original assessment and how often is this undertaken?Assessment is done only for inmates who are proposed for work. Assessment is carried out before starting work, later on the assessment is carried out based on the specifics of work (the regularity of review is set forth in the legislation). The assessment is instigated by an employer
Is there an agreed template for such assessments e.g. Prisoner “Self Declaration” on their fitness to work, a Health Screening Questionnaire and/or a medical examination?There‘s no agreed template for such assessments – the health status, illnesses, possible risks or nuisance, that may have effect on the course of existing illnesses, are being assessed
Is there a specific assessment for specific work practices e.g. working in kitchen, in welding workshop, carpentry workshop etc.?A specific assessment for specific work practices is carried out taking into consideration the existing illnesses
Is the outcome of the assessment recorded as part of the person’s healthcare record? How is the outcome of the assessment or update communicated to the Governor/Officer in charge of the Work Training or School?Yes, the outcome of the assessment is recorded in the personal medical history
Medical staff of imprisonment places do not provide the fitness to work assessments. Though, according with the Cabinet Regulation No.219, adopted 10 March 2009 "Procedures for the Performance of Mandatory Health Examinations", a medical treatment institution outside the imprisonment place, which has won the procurement tender, gives an Opinion on the Conformity of the State of Health of the Person with the Work to be Performed, as the opinion is provided by the doctor of occupational diseases and there is no relevant expert in imprisonment places.
When does this assessment take place? Is this done for all prisoners or only those considering/proposed for work? Who instigates/requests a review of the original assessment and how often is this undertaken? Is there an agreed template for such assessments e.g. Prisoner “Self Declaration” on their fitness to work, a Health Screening Questionnaire and/or a medical examination? Is there a specific assessment for specific work practices e.g. working in kitchen, in welding workshop, carpentry workshop etc.? Is the outcome of the assessment recorded as part of the person’s healthcare record? How is the outcome of the assessment or update communicated to the Governor/Officer in charge of the Work Training or School?This content is only available to registered members of EuroPris.
We would like to point out that Slovenian medical health care in prison is part of the public health care system. We are in contract with agencies who deliver fitness to work assessments, so this part is outsourced to external agencies. It could be public health institution or specialised institution for fitness to work assessment. Some of them deliver fitness to work assessment inside our facilities, but in some cases we have to take inmates also to agencies.
When does this assessment take place? Is this done for all prisoners or only those considering/proposed for work? Who instigates/requests a review of the original assessment and how often is this undertaken?First of all there have to be an expressed interest of the inmate to work. Assessment is not delivered for all prisoners.
Is there an agreed template for such assessments e.g. Prisoner “Self Declaration” on their fitness to work, a Health Screening Questionnaire and/or a medical examination?There are the same procedures as for all the other public employees; same statutory provision from the Employment Relationships Act is in place.
Is there a specific assessment for specific work practices e.g. working in kitchen, in welding workshop, carpentry workshop etc.?Each specific work practice has its own specific assessment on fitness to work. According to that each doctor decides what to examine. For each working place there is a specific risk assessment, same statutory provision from the Employment Relationships Act.
Is the outcome of the assessment recorded as part of the person’s healthcare record? How is the outcome of the assessment or update communicated to the Governor/Officer in charge of the Work Training or School?The outcome is recorded. The final document is inserted in to personal inmates’ sentence plan.
Prison doctor (employed by the prison service) undertakes the assessment of fitness to work regarding the health state of inmates in compliance with the generally binding legislation regulating the safety and health at work and protection, support and development of public health.
When does this assessment take place? Is this done for all prisoners or only those considering/proposed for work? Who instigates/requests a review of the original assessment and how often is this undertaken?On entry medical examination, the prison doctor decides on medical fitness of each inmate (by setting the medical fitness level); entry medical examination takes place generally on the first workday after admission to prison. Without such assessment, no inmate can be assigned to work. A generally binding legal regulation sets the frequency of periodic medical examinations in relation to work classification (similarly as outside prisons) according to the classification of the workplace in the occupational activity category.
Is there an agreed template for such assessments e.g. Prisoner “Self Declaration” on their fitness to work, a Health Screening Questionnaire and/or a medical examination?When determining the medical fitness for work, mainly the anamneses, objective ascertainment of the health state and functional assessment of discovered pathological changes are considered. Legislative norms of the Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic set the range of examinations necessary for works in the individual categories and for the individual risk factors of work.
Is there a specific assessment for specific work practices e.g. working in kitchen, in welding workshop, carpentry workshop etc.?Medical fitness level expresses the eligibility of the inmates of assignment to the particulate type of work: “A“ - medical fitness for semi-heavy and heavy work in difficult conditions (e.g. underground work, work in a stone pit), “B“ - medical fitness for semi-heavy to heavy work in adverse working conditions (e.g. adverse weather conditions or working conditions resulting from work practices), “C“ - medical fitness for light to semi-heavy work in adverse working conditions (mainly adverse weather conditions), “D“ - medical fitness for light to semi-heavy work exclusive of transmission of heavy loads and exclusive of adverse weather conditions, “E“ - medical fitness for light work in favourable working conditions with possible transmission of only light objects, “F“ - permanent disability for any occupational activity. Inmates with determined medical fitness “A“, “B“, “C“, “D“ are considered at the same time qualified for work according to the medical classification of lower level.
Is the outcome of the assessment recorded as part of the person’s healthcare record? How is the outcome of the assessment or update communicated to the Governor/Officer in charge of the Work Training or School?The outcome of the entry and control medical assessment is recorded in the healthcare record. The information on the medical fitness level (only letters A – F including a possible restriction expressed by words – e.g. “not by machines and at a height”; “without eyes strain” and the like) is also in a part of the information system accessible to expert prison staff responsible for assignment of inmates to work.
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Prison Rule 82 (2) states that ‘No prisoner may be required to work, or to do work which is of a particular class, at any time when they are: (a) excused from working, or from doing any particular class of work by the Governor, acting on the advice of a healthcare professional, on health grounds. Since November 2011 all Health Care provision within the Scottish Prison Service has been delivered by the National Health Service in Scotland. NHS Prisoner Healthcare is responsible for managing fitness to work processes.
When does this assessment take place? Is this done for all prisoners or only those considering/proposed for work? Who instigates/requests a review of the original assessment and how often is this undertaken? Is there an agreed template for such assessments e.g. Prisoner “Self Declaration” on their fitness to work, a Health Screening Questionnaire and/or a medical examination? Is there a specific assessment for specific work practices e.g. working in kitchen, in welding workshop, carpentry workshop etc.? Is the outcome of the assessment recorded as part of the person’s healthcare record? How is the outcome of the assessment or update communicated to the Governor/Officer in charge of the Work Training or School?This content is only available to registered members of EuroPris.
Health personnel working in penitentiary establishments are not competent to issue certificates of aptitude for work (article R57-8-1 of the Code of Criminal Procedure), competence devolved to occupational physicians, medical specialty which aims to '' avoid any deterioration or deterioration in the health of workers due to their work. However, occupational health services (Title II of Book VI) do not intervene in prison to carry out a medical aptitude examination. On the other hand, the doctor of the USMP can give the detained person certificates essential to benefit from the advantages which are recognized by social security, in particular those provided by the legislation on accidents at work and occupational diseases. The USMP doctor can also issue certificates of non-contraindication to sports. Finally, the doctor must inform the detained person if his state of health prevents him from carrying out an activity within the meaning of article 27 of the prison law of 24 November 2009, temporarily or permanently (as described by the person ). He then gives him a descriptive certificate of his condition, which it is up to the detained person to transmit to the prison administration.
When does this assessment take place? Is this done for all prisoners or only those considering/proposed for work? Who instigates/requests a review of the original assessment and how often is this undertaken?//
Is there an agreed template for such assessments e.g. Prisoner “Self Declaration” on their fitness to work, a Health Screening Questionnaire and/or a medical examination?In the prison environment, there is no document of medical fitness for work and / or professional training. However, at the request of the detained person, a medical document can be produced in the context of certain activities (article R.57-8-1 code of criminal procedure).
Is there a specific assessment for specific work practices e.g. working in kitchen, in welding workshop, carpentry workshop etc.?A medical document may be specific to the activities requested by the detained person. Indeed, in the context of sports activities, the doctor of the USMP performs a medical examination of detained persons who request a certificate relating to the practice of a sports activity (article R.57-8-1 code of criminal procedure) . He can also issue a certificate of non-contraindication to the practice of a sport, or prescribe additional examinations. Finally, he may request an opinion in sports medicine according to the type of sport or in view of the person's sports and medical history.
Is the outcome of the assessment recorded as part of the person’s healthcare record? How is the outcome of the assessment or update communicated to the Governor/Officer in charge of the Work Training or School?The fitness for activities is kept in the medical file of the detained person. Article D 382 of the CCP provides that doctors shall issue to the detainee, at his request, certificates or attestations relating to his state of health. They provide him with the certificates or documents essential to benefit from the advantages recognized for him by social security, and in particular those provided by the legislation on accidents at work and occupational diseases. It is up to the detained person to hand over these documents to the prison administration, if they wish. They deliver to the prison authorities written certificates containing the information strictly necessary for the orientation of the prisoner, as well as the modifications or adjustments to the prison regime that his state of health could justify. A duplicate of these certificates and notices is given to the detainee at his request.
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Healthcare providers contribute to risk assessments to determine a prisoner’s suitability to work or attend activities.
When does this assessment take place? Is this done for all prisoners or only those considering/proposed for work? Who instigates/requests a review of the original assessment and how often is this undertaken?his varies as some will be carried out when applying for a specific job/activity. There will also be assessments carried out during the prisoner induction process or first and secondary healthcare screening processes, which might highlight restrictions for individual prisoners.
Is there an agreed template for such assessments e.g. Prisoner “Self Declaration” on their fitness to work, a Health Screening Questionnaire and/or a medical examination?There is no self-declaration process , prisoners who are unfit for a certain activity would present themselves to healthcare for assessment.
Is there a specific assessment for specific work practices e.g. working in kitchen, in welding workshop, carpentry workshop etc.?Fitness to work in a kitchen or other food area should be part of any employment criteria from the establishment. A medical assessment from the doctor to determine their suitability for work in the catering environments is a requirement. It would be expected that the health input will be both generalised and specific to the work placement.
Is the outcome of the assessment recorded as part of the person’s healthcare record? How is the outcome of the assessment or update communicated to the Governor/Officer in charge of the Work Training or School?Healthcare input forms part of the overall risk assessment for selection. This will be stored on the prisoner record and on healthcare systems.
The Health Service of the Belgian Prison Service does not carry out any fitness or health assessment for work. The exception concerns work with food or preparation of food.
When does this assessment take place? Is this done for all prisoners or only those considering/proposed for work? Who instigates/requests a review of the original assessment and how often is this undertaken?N/a
Is there an agreed template for such assessments e.g. Prisoner “Self Declaration” on their fitness to work, a Health Screening Questionnaire and/or a medical examination?N/a
Is there a specific assessment for specific work practices e.g. working in kitchen, in welding workshop, carpentry workshop etc.?N/a
Is the outcome of the assessment recorded as part of the person’s healthcare record? How is the outcome of the assessment or update communicated to the Governor/Officer in charge of the Work Training or School?N/a