Guidelines and Reports

Annual Programme Reports

The Health Protection Agency and Offender Health have produced the 2009-2010 progress report: Health Protection in Prisons, 15 March 2011

For the past four years, Offender Health has commissioned the Health Protection Agency (HPA) to develop and jointly deliver a programme to survey and prevent infectious diseases in prisons. This commissioned work led to the establishment of the Prison Infection Prevention (PIP) team.

The PIP team works closely with the Health Protection Services Prison Network, comprising of prison leads from each region in England, who support work undertaken by local HPUs with individual prisons and PCTs in their area.

The work programme for 2009-2010 covered three key areas: improving infectious disease surveillance, the hepatitis B vaccination monitoring programme and information and communication. The full progress report for 2009-10 has now been published.

• Health Protection in Prisons Report 2009-10

Other report:

• No Bars to Health Protection, Prison Health Annual Report 2007

Seasonal Flu Guidance, 2011/12

Guidance on responding to cases or outbreaks of seasonal flu 2011/12 in prisons and other closed institutions within the criminal justice system in England have been jointly produced and approved by Offender Health and the HPA.  The document provides clear guidance on how to manage isolated cases/outbreaks of seasonal influenza in prisons and other places of detention.

Guidance on responding to cases or outbreaks of seasonal flu 2011/12 in prisons or other closed institutions within the criminal justice system in England (PDF, 607 KB)

Prevention of infection and communicable disease control in prisons and places of detention – a manual for healthcare workers, 8 August, 2011

Developed by the Health Protection Agency and the Department of Health – Offender Health, this document provides guidance for healthcare workers and other staff who work in prisons and places of detention. The manual provides advice on specific infections and dealing with outbreaks, key points on immunisation and vaccination and guidance on infection prevention and control within custodial settings.

•  Prevention of infection and communicable disease control in prisons and places of detention, August 2011

Hepatitis B Vaccine and Hepatitis C Test Reporting Template

Q2 2011-2012 July-September Hep B+C template for reporting (Excel Spreadsheet, 47 KB)

Hepatitis B Vaccination and Hepatitis C Testing Programme

• Use of combined Hep A and B vaccines in prisoners (PDF, 29 KB)
• Clinical guidance on prison hepatitis B vaccination - FAQs (PDF, 32 KB) 
• Hepatitis B model patient group direction (PDF, 63 KB) 
• Schedule for vaccination of prisoners in HMPs Midlands (PDF, 66 KB) 

 Outbreak/Control Guidelines

• Template Generic Prison Outbreak Plan (Word Document, 498 KB)
• Reporting sheets to PIP (Excel Spreadsheet, 150 KB)
• Hand Washing (PowerPoint Presentation, 214 KB)
• An evaluation of post incident management (PDF, 1.7 MB)
• Guidance on chickenpox and shingles Infection control in prisons, places of detention and immigration removal centres (PDF, 258 KB)
• TB Guidance for HPUs Prison v 6 (PDF, 246 KB)

Prison Health

• 'Green Book' - Immunisation Against Infectious Disease [external link]

• Sydromic Surveillance for Seasonal Flu in London Prisons 2008-9 (PDF, 91 KB)

Health Protection Units

• Health Protection Unit contact list

• National Survey of HPU services for and in engagement with local prisons (PDF, 1.5 MB)