Inadequate Healthcare Access for Detainees in Police Custody Raises Concerns

A recent study conducted by Newcastle University, in collaboration with Northumbria and Durham universities, has highlighted serious issues regarding the provision of healthcare to individuals in police custody. The research reveals that detainees often face denial of essential medical care due to a scarcity of healthcare professionals such as nurses within custody suites or due to institutional practices that impede the issuance of medications.

The study uncovered a postcode lottery effect, meaning the level of healthcare and the medications available to detainees vary significantly depending on the police force area. This disparity results in inconsistent levels of care for individuals in different regions. Additionally, custody officers frequently exhibit skepticism or mistrust towards detainees' claims about their health conditions, which hampers appropriate healthcare delivery.

Alarmingly, the types of medications withheld are not limited to controlled substances like methadone or opioids but also encompass vital medications for chronic conditions such as epilepsy, cancer, mental health disorders, and insulin for diabetes management.

Dr. Gethin Rees, a senior lecturer in sociology at Newcastle University, pointed out that current healthcare practices do not meet internationally recognized standards—specifically, the principles of 'Availability, Accessibility, Acceptability, and Good Quality' as outlined in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The research team has proposed several recommendations to improve these standards, including the adoption of a standardized medication list and patient group directives, which would enable healthcare providers to administer necessary medications based on predetermined criteria without requiring a new prescription.

The 'Equivalence in Police Custody' report offers comprehensive findings and suggests measures to enhance healthcare quality in police detention environments. One of the key recommendations is that healthcare professionals should be consistently embedded within all custody suites to ensure timely and reliable medical care.

Individuals with lived experience of detention described the current system as "hopeless," expressing that detainees often endure sickness while in custody without appropriate medical intervention, which can lead to severe suffering and despair.

Changes introduced since 2008, such as placement of healthcare staff during 12-hour shifts within custody suites, have aimed to improve access. However, challenges like staff recruitment, sick leave, and the necessity for HCPs to travel between multiple sites have limited effectiveness, leading to exhaustion and staff shortages. Experts advocate for fully embedding healthcare staff in each custody facility to guarantee consistent healthcare availability.

Organizations like the Independent Custody Visiting Association (ICVA) have welcomed the report, emphasizing the need for improved healthcare access and highlighting the importance of adopting a more professional and empathetic approach by custody teams. The report also recommends that detainees with substance dependencies be treated as vulnerable individuals and that appropriate adults be appointed to support them during police interviews.

To view the full report and related resources, visit here. The researchers emphasize the importance of fostering professional curiosity and trust between staff and detainees to ensure humane and effective healthcare delivery in police custody.

Source: https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-04-people-health-issues-denied-medication.html