Prison Support Solution - Support & Information Helpline
T 033 0088 0787
E prisonsupport@email.com
W www.prisonphonesolution.com
Worried about someone in Prison
Are you worried about a prisoner’s health?
You may be concerned about the physical or mental health of a person in prison.
Are you worried that someone in prison may be suicidal?
If you are concerned that somebody you care about in prison is thinking about suicide or harming themselves, the most important thing you can do is ask them specifically about thoughts of suicide.
Find out if they have a plan and when they have thought about doing it.
Listen carefully to what they have to say, how they are feeling and why. Stay calm and show you understand. Try not to judge them, argue with them, or play down their feelings.
What about self harm?
This should not be dismissed as being manipulative, but rather taken seriously and the prisoner given every available support and understanding. Do inform the prison if you know that your loved one is harming themselves.
Who may be particularly vulnerable?
First time and remand prisoners,
Anyone who has suffered a recent bereavement. Those who have recently suffered a broken relationship. Someone who has made a previous suicide attempt Substance misusers or Victims of violence or sexual abuse
What are the signs that they might need support?
The person expresses a wish to die
They take no trouble with their appearance, looking dirty and unkempt The person has no friends.
What can trigger suicidal feelings?
They are quiet, listless and withdrawn
They are finding it very difficult to come to terms with their situation.
What can trigger suicidal feelings
Anger
Despair
Hopelessness
Isolation and loneliness
Helplessness
Victimisation
Change in status, e.g. remand to convicted Transfer
What can you do to help support a friend of someone in prison?
Listen to them!
Check they know where to get help
Each prisoner has a Personal Officer assigned to them who they can talk with. If the prisoner prefers to talk to another prisoner, almost all prisons have Listeners sometimes called buddies (these are prisoners trained and supported by the Samaritans) who will listen to their fellow prisoners in confidence and are available 24 hours a day.
Speaking with someone
Your relative can also ask to speak with one of the prison chaplains. This is a service provided by the Prison Service and the chaplains. They are able to offer support and provide a link to others in the prison or in the community.
Seek help on their behalf
The prison service has made it a priority to reduce self-harm and suicide in prisons. If the prisoner is felt to be at risk of suicide or self- harm, the prison will ensure that they are correctly supported and monitored until they are no longer considered to be at risk. In most cases prisoners that have suicidal thoughts or feelings they will be placed on a watch list.
If you have serious concerns about the welfare of a relative or friend in prison or they have expressed suicidal feelings or threatened to harm themselves in any way, please voice your concerns immediately to the Duty Manager or the person in charge at the prison.
Our Helpline staff can speak with the prison on your behalf, with your permission. If you do not want the Helpline to contact the prison but have already given details of the person you think may be in danger, it will be explained that Helpline staff are duty bound to forward the information to the appropriate person at the prison but will not pass personal details of the caller.
The Support & Information Helpline can be contacted on 03300880787
What will happen if I express my concern to Prison Support Solution or to the prison?
If you express your concerns to Prison Support Solution and give them a prisoner’s personal details, they have a duty of care to contact the prison or support you to contact the prison with your concerns.
If you or Prison Support Group contact the prison, the information provided will be treated sensitively and in confidence, and will at all times be used to help and support the person you are concerned about. The Prison Staff will speak to the prisoner to advise that they will be contacting the caller to inform them that their telephone call has been responded to. The prisoner should be asked what information they wish shared with the caller and prison staff should phone the caller back.
The prison may hold a case conference within 24 hours if they feel it is necessary. Those attending a case conference can include: the prisoner, the prisoner’s Personal Officer, a member of the Health Team, usually the Mental Health Nurse.
The prisoner will be asked if they wish a friend or relative (where appropriate) to attend. The team will assess the level of risk and decide what support and help the prisoner may need. An individual care plan will be drawn up and will show the prisoner’s needs and level of risk. Individuals who are deemed at risk will be cared for in a safe environment and any decisions taken will be agreed by the whole team, including the prisoner.
I want to express my concern but I do not want the prisoner to know I called the prison or Prisoner Support Group about them.
You do not have to give your own name to the prison or to Prisoner Support Solution. However, your confidentiality will be respected if you ask the people you speak to, not to divulge your name.
Look after yourself and talk to someone
Hearing someone you care about talking about suicide can affect you too. Find someone you can confide in and talk to them honestly about how you are feeling.
The importance of family ties
Visits and contacts with the family are of paramount importance to all prisoners, particularly those who may be feeling vulnerable.
Your intervention may be crucial to someone's physical health, so please do tell someone, we recommend alerting the prison as soon as you can.
Each prison has a health centre which is managed and staffed by the NHS. If a relative or friend in prison is concerned about any aspect of their physical health they should make an appointment at the health centre where they can be assessed by a G.P.
Who else can I talk to in confidence?
The Samaritans
Available in most UK prisons for prisoners to access, without been recorded or listened to by prison staff.
Worried about a Prisoner