St Andrew’s In UK To Provide Service For Inmates
St. Andrew’s Healthcare in the UK has been selected to provide service for inmates with psychiatric diagnoses, and currently there are “three inmates who would be candidates for this service,” local officials have confirmed, adding that “there are complex legal considerations that still need to be addressed before they can be transferred.”
St Andrew’s Healthcare recently announced that they were awarded a contract to “provide care to forensic patients.”
The Bermuda Hospitals Board confirmed that St Andrew’s has just been selected and told Bernews the “contract negotiations are due to start this week.”
“Currently, there are three inmates who would be candidates for this service, but in addition to executing the contract, there are complex legal considerations that still need to be addressed before they can be transferred. Having a solution in place for this vulnerable population will help improve care, and improve recovery and management of mental illness,” BHB said.
The Ministry of Health and Seniors also confirmed that St. Andrew’s Healthcare “has been selected to assist Bermuda with an interim forensic mental health solution.”
The Ministry told Bernews, “Government recognised that inmates with severe mental illnesses are not adequately treated at this time, and Bermuda does not have the level of security required for safe treatment elsewhere on the island.”
“A search was conducted to find an overseas partner to provide interim, appropriate service for inmates with psychiatric diagnoses. Following a complete RFP process, St. Andrew’s Healthcare was recently identified as the preferred provider.
The Ministry said this “interim solution” will allow local officials “the time to focus on the options for a more permanent solution for care of such inmates” as “Government recognises that an appropriate mental health service for inmates who have psychiatric illnesses can give them a pathway to recovery and better success in managing their illness.”
St Andrew’s Statements
“St Andrew’s Healthcare has achieved a new first, by winning an contract to provide care to forensic patients on the Atlantic island of Bermuda,” a statement posted on the facility’s website [PDF] earlier this month said.
“As a small island with only 80,000 residents, Bermuda has limited facilities to support those with complex mental health conditions. As a result, a number of people with mental illness are currently held in the island’s prison system.
“A review of this approach by Bermuda’s government led to St Andrew’s being invited to offer support. The Charity was successfully selected from a list of numerous healthcare providers in December, was awarded the contract at the end of February.
“Three male patients are now set to travel to Northampton as part of St Andrew’s Men’s Mental Health Pathway, with up to nine further patients due to join St Andrew’s in the coming months.”
Dean Howells, Executive Director of Nursing and Quality said: “This is great news. Not only does this contract brings the charity income from new sources, but much more importantly, it gives our potential services users a much improved opportunity of recovery, thanks to our personalised and holistic approach to care. The new contract means that we can extend our reach and transform more lives.”
The website statement was amended, dated today, and the updated version states, “St Andrew’s has achieved a new first, by being selected as a preferred provider to support the Bermuda Health Hospitals Board in providing care to forensic patients on the Atlantic island of Bermuda.
“A review by Bermuda’s government led to us being invited to offer our support and we were successfully selected from a list of healthcare providers in December, and were given final approval in February. Contract negotiations are now starting.”
Dean Howells, Executive Director of Nursing and Quality said: “This is great news. It gives our potential service users a much improved opportunity of recovery, thanks to our personalised and holistic approach to care. The new partnership means that we can extend our reach and transform more lives.”
Bermuda Hospitals Board Response
In response to our queries yesterday, a BHB spokesperson told Bernews, “Much collaborative work has been undertaken between BHB, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of National Security, the Ministry of Legal Affairs, Department of Court Services and Department of Corrections in finding a viable solution for the population of inmates who need mental health services.
“While work continues to determine the most appropriate long-term solution for Bermuda, an interim solution is needed. A competitive process was therefore initiated last year to find an overseas partner to ensure people in Bermuda’s correctional facilities today are not left at risk.
“St Andrew’s has just been selected as the preferred bidder and the contract negotiations are due to start this week. This means it is not possible to provide concrete dates such as when people will transfer and how much it will cost at this time, but we will share this information when the contract is agreed and signed.
“Currently, there are three inmates who would be candidates for this service, but in addition to executing the contract, there are complex legal considerations that still need to be addressed before they can be transferred. Having a solution in place for this vulnerable population will help improve care, and improve recovery and management of mental illness.”
Ministry of Health and Seniors Response
“The Ministry of Health and Seniors can confirm that St. Andrew’s Healthcare has been selected to assist Bermuda with an interim forensic mental health solution,” a spokesperson said.
“In both the 2015 Throne Speech and the recent 2017/18 budget debate, Government recognised that inmates with severe mental illnesses are not adequately treated at this time, and Bermuda does not have the level of security required for safe treatment elsewhere on the island.
“A search was conducted to find an overseas partner to provide interim, appropriate service for inmates with psychiatric diagnoses. Following a complete RFP process, St. Andrew’s Healthcare was recently identified as the preferred provider.
“This interim solution will allow the Ministry of Health and Seniors, the Ministry of National Security, the Ministry of Legal Affairs, Department of Court Services, Department of Corrections, and Bermuda Hospitals Board the time to focus on the options for a more permanent solution for care of such inmates.
“Government recognises that an appropriate mental health service for inmates who have psychiatric illnesses can give them a pathway to recovery and better success in managing their illness.”
This is bizarre. Really? We cannot find a home grown solution for a dozen people? Will their families be able to follow them? What is the cost? What else/who else will go overseas?
Are you being sarcastic? It is a well-known fact that Bermuda / Westgate is not capable of providing mental health programs for many of their inmates – many of whom re-commit the crimes once released.
And why would their families need to follow them? They are in prison. Families don’t follow inmates to jail here do they? If you are talking about visits, if so, that should be on the family’s own dime. Think about it, Govt is paying for the mental health care that the family obviously didn’t before the crimes were committed. At least they can pay for airfare if they need to visit.
Sarcastic? I wish I was. The very fact that you say “It is a well-known fact that Bermuda / Westgate” shows that this problem has been around for a very long time.
But instead of doing something locally, keeping treatment local, we have to use an overseas body, at what cost we don’t know, to do it instead.
There is also no announcement of what, if anything, is/will be done locally.
All we get is this: “While work continues to determine the most appropriate long-term solution for Bermuda ….” well, that has ‘continued’ for a very long time indeed.
#outofsightoutofmind
Oddly, this is a view never expressed about people going overseas for complicated heart surgery, brain surgery, other specialized things such as complicated cancer-related surgery, post-trauma treatment, etc.
You presumably do understand why it isn’t possible, for example, to have a fully-equipped heart surgery facility here, for such a small population.
Why is it hard to understand the same thing is true for highly specialized mental health issues?
Who cares about the cost!! Take them ALL. Them and the perverts!!!
And you with them, please.
St. Andrew’s don’t know what they just signed up for chingas.