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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: Until 2011, the Irish Prison Service contracted with private operators to run subsidised canteens for prison staff at which time the service provider withdrew their services on the basis that the service was not financially viable. As an alternative, the existing canteen/kitchen facilities were used to provide prisoners with accredited training and a voluntary committee system was set up for the purpose of funding and procuring the food used in the kitchens for consumption by Prison Officers. The prisoners are involved in food preparation, cooking and service and the training is accredited by a national education award and the kitchens are supervised by Industrial Supervisor grades in catering are qualified chefs.
Usually, each modern prison has its own cafeteria where officers can eat. The officers make shifts during eating times, so that the custodial service is always provided.
NIPS staff and prisoner catering were put out to tender in late 1999. In 2000 a NIPS ‘in house’ team put together a bid for both prisoner and staff catering provisions. The NIPS team were successful in their bid; taking back staff catering from a commercial company as well as retaining prisoner catering. 2001 NIPS catering introduced NVQ qualifications for prisoners in all establishment kitchens. During this time catering staff attained NVQ assessor and internal verifier qualifications to allow prisoner training to be offered ‘in house’. A Review of Options for the Future Provision of Catering in all NIPS Establishments was conducted in late 2011 to early 2012. This review was conducted by a Business Consultancy Service in conjunction with the then 3 establishment catering managers. Catering training has was reassessed and reintroduced to the 3 establishments with the guidance and support of the respective Learning and Skills departments. This has included introduction to and initial qualifications in the following catering disciplines; • Royal Society for Public Health level 1 Health & Safety • Royal Society for Public Health level 2 Food Safety • City and Guilds Hospitality Level 1 • City and Guilds Customer Services Level 2 • City and Guilds Barista training. Currently all 3 NIPS establishments provide a full breakfast and lunch menu for staff on duty, these include healthy, vegetarian and allergen free options. Although catering provided for staff is not subsidised, due to the fact the staff catering initiatives have access to NIPS food contracts it means that staff food costs are purchased at a very competitive rates. This results in an average meal on offer to staff being in the region of £1.50 - £4.00 The responsibility for these operations is the responsibility of the establishments respective Governor through their catering manager.
The Danish Prison and Probation Service's institutions do not have actual canteens with staff. In the majority of the institutions, the staff takes care of their own catering, while there are two institutions where the staff can buy the dish of the day or sandwiches via a production kitchen, where the inmates work.
Catering for prisons in Finland is run by Leijona Catering Ltd. Leijona offers basic meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner and evening snack). Lunch and dinner are meals that prison service staff can also enjoy. Food that it served for staff is exactly the same than meals served to prisoners.
The prisons of the Republic of Latvia do not provide centralized catering services to prison staff. Prisons provide staff with an opportunity to reheat the food they bring with them, as well as boil water for coffee or tea, and ensure a place to have a meal.
Prison Governors in England and Wales decide locally on what provision they make for staff meals. This autonomy does allow a high degree of flexibility in the level and type of provision. There tends to be a clear distinction between the kitchen facilities for prisoner meals and those provided for staff. Staff meal operations include outsourced (contracted) services with or without assisted prisoner labour. Mess kitchens also operate as training and skill centres to provide accredited qualifications for prisoners, also in snack cafes and Barista style coffee shops. A national food contract is available for prisons to use to purchase the commodities they require. Prison staff accounts are separated from prisoners meal provision.
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The Lithuanian Prison Department does not provide meals/ catering services to prison staff.
In prisons, provision of food for personnel is mainly ensured by salaried staff (cooks, kitchen workers, catering manager, warehouse keeper). Prisoners are involved in various auxiliary tasks in the large kitchen, for example, preparatory work (cleaning vegetables, chopping various foodstuffs), washing dishes, cleaning and lifting weights.
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The process of preparation and service of meals for prison staff and inmates is secured by the prison service itself in its catering facilities. Each prison has its own catering establishment (mostly a separate kitchen for prison staff and a separate one for inmates). For prison staff, the main meals (lunch, dinner and second dinner including a suitable drink) are prepared in kitchens for prison staff. All-day catering for inmates is prepared in kitchens for inmates (at least three meals a day – breakfast, lunch and dinner). The operation of the catering facilities, economy, accounting and registration of catering is ensured by victuallers of the logistics units (senior food manager – operator and junior food manager – accountant, storeman). Procurement of groceries is ensured in compliance with the Act on Public Procurement. The menu is worked out by the designated victualler in cooperation with the cook. It is approved by the senior food manager and for inmates’ kitchen also by the doctor of the respective prison. Inmates working as assistant cooks and kitchen helpers participate in preparation, cooking, service and distribution of meals and also ensure service in the canteen (inmates working as waiters). All these activities are performed under supervision of qualified kitchen staff (civil prison employees – cooks). Inmates as well as other kitchen staff must meet the requirements for medical fitness. Retraining courses “cook/assistant cook” accredited by the Ministry of Education can be implemented in premises of the prison catering facilities – inmates who work as assistant cooks or qualify for inclusion to such work can complete the practical part of the retraining course in the prison catering facility.