The Care Quality Commission
  • Prison healthcare

HMP YOI Low Newton

Low Newton, Finchale Avenue, Brasside, Durham, County Durham, DH1 5YA (0191) 376 4252

Provided and run by:
Spectrum Community Health C.I.C.

Important: The provider of this service changed. See old profile

Inspection summaries and ratings from previous provider

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Background to this inspection

Updated 27 March 2019

HMP YOI Low Newton is a closed female prison, located in Durham. At the time of our inspection the population was around 320 prisoners, including a mix of adults and young women aged 18-21.

Health care services at HMP YOI Low Newton are commissioned by NHS England. The contract for the provision of healthcare services is held by G4S Health Serviced (UK) Limited (G4S). G4S is registered with CQC to provide the regulated activities of Diagnostic and Screening procedures, Treatment of disease, disorder or injury and Personal care at HMP Leeds (family planning?) .

Our last joint inspection with HMIP was in February 2018. The joint inspection report can be found at:

https://www.justiceinspectorates.gov.uk/hmiprisons/inspections/hmp-yoi-low-newton-2/

Overall inspection

Updated 27 March 2019

We carried out an announced focused inspection of healthcare services provided by G4S Health Services (UK) Limited (G4S) at HMP and YOI Low Newton on 26 February 2019.

Following our last joint inspection with Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) in February 2018, we found that the quality of healthcare provided by G4S at this location did not meet regulations. We issued one Requirement Notice in relation to Regulation 12, Safe Care and Treatment, of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014.

The purpose of this inspection was to determine if the healthcare services provided by G4S were now meeting the legal requirements and regulations under Section 60 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 and that patients were receiving safe care and treatment.

We do not currently rate services provided in prisons.

At this focused inspection we found:

  • The provider had worked with other healthcare providers to improve safe prescribing and administration of medicines.
  • The provider had made improvements to the management of medicines including ensuring patients were appropriately risk assessed when prescribed medicines.

The provider had carried out a risk assessment to ensure that staff had easy access to emergency equipment and medicines.