Request from Serving Prisoner – Information Wanted on Spectrum Community Health

George Black asks: Can any prisoners with complaints or bad experiences with Spectrum Community Health (SPC), at HMP Full Sutton? Or any other prison where SPC is the health provider. Please send letters with your experiences to: Jeremy Bingham, Kesar and co solicitors.

SPC provide medical care in a number of North East prisons

If you personally, or know someone else who has had bad experiences with (SPC) and complained and received an unsatisfactory response, please contact Mr Bingham as soon as possible.

Especially if you have suffered from:

1. False allegations/ false entries in medical files or responses to complaints that are unsatisfactory. 

2. Negligence in any form including treatment on a lack of treatment- such as missing meds or a repeat prescription or being listened to when reporting any health care issues, to any nurse. 

3. It is largely recognized by inmates in HMP Full Sutton, that Spectrum Community Health (SPC), withdraw inmates’ treatment for reasons unrelated to health issues as a punishment. Having medication on treatment withdrawn as a punishment for reasons not related to health care. (mdt/adjudication/basic/arguing)

4. Having appointments cancelled and not being informed- on being blamed for missing any appointments when you were not at fault, such as prison lock downs/visits etc, not being notified.

5. Any complaints with mental health treatment, or a lack of Mental Health in Reach Services Team (MHIRT) any (Mental health issues)

6. Or any other complaints against (SPC) health care provides. Have you advanced your complaints to (stage 2) and complained to (SPC)- head office? Have you taken or pursued civil action against (SPC)?

It is important that any prisoner who has experienced any of these issues, contacts Kesar and Co Solicitors. Your information will help to establish patterns of abuse and negligence, such as the same nurses using the same excuses to fob prisoners off. Do not under-estimate the power of Data Analysis.

If you know of any other inmates with bad experiences of SPC, please inform them of this article as soon as possible. When one prisoner makes a complaint, it's his word against the system. But when 10 on 20 prisoners make the same complaint, it's a different story altogether.

Please send any letters and information to: Jeremy Bingham & copy to George Black

Kesar and co solicitors 
Bromley
BR1 1NA

Every letter will receive response,

In solidarity George Black, (A3887AE) HMP Full Sutton, Stamford Bridge, YO4 1PS

HMCIP Found fault with Spectrum Community Health in their latest inspection of HMP Full Sutton

They found that persons employed by the provider SPC in the provision of regulated activity did not receive appropriate support, training and supervision as is necessary to enable them to carry out the duties they are employed to perform. This was in breach of regulation 18(2)(a) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. Staff had not received regular, formal, recorded management and clinical supervision. Not all mandatory training had been completed as required for nursing staff.

They found that the registered provider SPC had not ensured the proper and safe management of medicines, and not all premises and equipment used by the service was suitable for the purpose for which it was being used. This was in breach of regulation 12(1) (2) (e) (g) and 15(1) (c) of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014. Medication was being transported from the pharmacy in a briefcase to G wing. It was then being administered in a door way on a small table in full sight of other prisoners. We consider this to be a high-risk situation in terms of the method of transport and the lack of confidentiality being provided to the recipient of the medication. In possession medication was being received in the same way.