Healthier prisoners

THE healthcare team at HMP Huntercombe has been shortlisted for an award for its work supporting black, Asian and minority ethnic prisoners to be fitter.

The staff at the category C facility for foreign nationals run a weight management programme to help inmates improve their health and combat long-term conditions such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.

They have been nominated in the health and wellbeing advocate section of the National BAME Healthcare Awards.

Laura Hayes, head of the Health in Justice team, said: “High levels of obesity has profound knock-on effects on inmates’ health and in turn this takes healthcare and prison officers’ time.

“By educating our patients we can help them progress to a better and healthier life once they leave prison, which can only be good for them, their families and their communities.”