29 August 2000
Dear Sir
The high levels of suicide in prisons should be the concern of everybody who works in them - from governors to individual prison officers and other staff ("Sack jail chief" over cell suicides 29 August 2000 front page and continued). But there is also a need to look more closely at the factors affecting mental health in prisons.
The Mental Health Foundation believes that there is an urgent requirement for work to promote mental health in prisons, to lessen the incidence of attempted suicides, to ensure better access to mental health services for prisoners and to recognise that good mental health is an issue for everyone.
There must be a sea change within prisons; an acknowledgement that good mental health should be actively promoted, and not just addressed when somebody reaches a crisis. Suicide prevention is important - but not more so than work to ensure that people in prison receive support before they reach that point.
Like a large proportion of society, prison staff need to start talking about the issue - only then will we be able to address it. Mental health affects every one of us!
Yours faithfully
Ruth Lesirge
Director, Mental Health Foundation
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