The Medical Protection Society (MPS) Foundation funded research project aimed at exploring the safety, mental health and wellbeing of healthcare staff working in UK prisons, is calling on GPs, psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, dentists and pharmacists to take part in the study. 

Working in prison healthcare brings unique clinical, ethical, and safety challenges. Yet compared with prison officers the experiences and impact on healthcare staff remain less well understood. 

The SMARTSTAFF* project, led by the Institute of Mental Health at the University of Nottingham, and supported by The MPS Foundation, hopes to change that by gathering real-world insight and identifying ways to improve support, morale, safety and retention in prison healthcare roles. 

Participation involves completing four short online surveys, each taking approximately ten minutes. A small number of participants will also be invited to take part in an optional follow-up interview. Healthcare professionals who work or have previously worked in prison healthcare, forensic services, or secure mental health settings, are invited to take part. 

Dr John Tully, Clinical Associate Professor in Forensic Psychiatry at the University of Nottingham, said: “Prisons and other secure settings are challenging environments in which to work, with major concerns about staff safety and associated pressures on mental health. Considerable research has been undertaken on how this work impacts prison officers, however, the effects on healthcare staff in prisons have been largely overlooked. 

“The SMARTSTAFF study, supported by The MPS Foundation, will address this important gap by exploring the mental health, safety, and job satisfaction of UK prison healthcare staff.

“Through online surveys we will establish for the first time a comprehensive national picture of these factors, and explore possible differences between healthcare professions, demographic factors, and type of prison. In a select group of participants, we will do extended interviews to explore the issues in more depth. 

“If you work or have previously worked in prison healthcare, forensic services, or secure mental health settings, we’d really value your insight as part of this study. Your experience can make a real difference to the wellbeing of colleagues across the UK.” 

All information given as part of the study will remain confidential and securely stored in accordance with UK data protection laws. As a thank you, participants will be entered into a prize draw to win one of five £100 retail vouchers. 

For further information or to take part see: https://app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk/s/nottingham/smartstaff 

*SMARTSTAFF stands for: Safety, Mental health, and Retention of healthcare Staff in UK prisons.