Research on improving care for imprisoned women with severe mental illness presented

An event was held at the House of Lords this week at which researchers from Keele and Durham Universities shared their work on improving care for women in prison who live with severe mental illness. 

The event, hosted by Baroness Sarah Hyde, was attended by guests including policymakers, researchers, and senior stakeholders from the prisons and health services. 

The two studies presented were part of a programme of work funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) looking at how primary care services for imprisoned women can be improved, as well as improving the ways that they can be involved in co-designing research studies and outputs. 

Professor Carolyn Chew-Graham OBE, Professor of General Practice Research at Keele University and Honorary Professor of Primary Care Mental Health at Midlands Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (MPFT), and Professor Tammi Walker from Durham University, were Co-Chief Investigator of one of the studies, which was hosted by MPFT and examined the provision of primary care for women in prison and how it can be improved. 

Professor Tammi Walker also led the second study focused on patient engagement, with findings from both studies being presented at the event in Parliament today. The research team has worked with the Lived Experience Advisory Group, (LEAG), comprising women with experience of imprisonment, convened by Co-investigator Paula Harriot, CEO of Unlock.   

Women in the prison system can often have complex mental health problems, often dealing with these alongside long-term physical health conditions. These problems are also compounded in women from racial minority backgrounds. Little is known about how imprisoned women with severe mental illness use prison primary care services, how well these services meet health care needs, and how services are experienced by different women from ethnic groups. 

The research involved conducting interviews with both women in prison who live with mental illness, and the staff supporting them (clinical and non-clinical), to identify the key challenges affecting their care. 

The findings from this study indicated that the prison regime can be a barrier to addressing health needs of women, due to factors including short sentences, limited time prisoners spend out of their cells, pressure on staff resources, and prison ‘lockdowns’ which take priority over healthcare appointments. The research team will use their findings to develop a framework to support prisons offer more person-centred and ethnically sensitised care for imprisoned women with mental illness. 

The team obtained additional funding from the NIHR Three Schools Mental Health Programme to work with members of the LEAG to develop resources for women entering prison, a video about involving women with experience of imprisonment in research, and a toolkit for researchers working with women who have experience of prison. 

Professor Carolyn Chew-Graham said: “We are proud of the outputs co-produced with women from our LEAG and very grateful to our colleague Paula Harriot for convening and facilitating the LEAG. It is good that NIHR recognised the value of our study and provided adequate funding for all our co-production activities.” 

Professor Tammi Walker added: “What’s been most important in this work is doing it alongside women with lived experience. Through meaningful PPIE, and with Paula Harriot’s leadership of the LEAG, we’ve been able to make sure those voices genuinely shape the research. We’re also very grateful to the NIHR for supporting this work. For us, that’s a feminist commitment not just listening to women but taking their knowledge seriously and building it into change.”