Improving the health of ex-prisoners at Kilmarnock
In Scotland there has been a high incidence of drug-related deaths among ex-prisoners following release from a short-term sentence. Once in custody, prisoners lose access to their valuable drug prevention and support programmes that are available in the community, meaning that they often have to wait for a significant period of time once released before rejoining support programmes. The Serco Addictions Team at Kilmarnock developed a wide range of interventions to support prisoners, and care plans are in place for all prisoners with addiction problems. This includes a plan for their care after release, to help reduce drug-related overdoses due to low tolerance levels.
The team has also developed a project in partnership with the Lighthouse Foundation, a local charity supporting families and children who have a loved one with an addiction problem. The project is a family support programme that helps prisoners' families with a drop-in clinic, basic drug awareness sessions, overdose prevention training, and a training programme and 28-day drug support programme for prisoners. The project was awarded a Butler Trust Award. The group has already achieved significant success; whilst seven prisoners died of drug overdoses within 14 days of being released in the year before the programme, no post-release deaths were recorded in the two years after its launch.