In the Autumn of 2009 the region’s health and substance misuse providers and commissioners of prison healthcare approached NHS West Midlands to request assistance with a number of prison healthcare workforce challenges. Anecdotal evidence suggested that there were difficulties in attracting and recruiting staff that resulted in high vacancy levels, and high levels of sickness and absence.
A reference group was established to explore and tackle these issues, and a programme of research and data collection was undertaken to enable an action plan to be developed to tackle the challenges faced by providers and commissioners. This included the commissioning of MORI to research the experience of working in West Midland’s prisons.
The findings of this programme of research and data gathering has been drawn together into the report Working in West Midland’s Prisons. The report contains an action plan and a number of appendices, including the Ipsos MORI report which provides detail on more local challenges. The report and appendices can be found here.
Working in West Midlands' Prisons (Main Report)
Appendix 1 West Midlands Prison Workforce Analysis
Appendix 2 Ipsos MORI analysis by Geographical Region
Appendix 3 Action Plan template (word version)
Appendix 4 Ipsos MORI questionnaire
Appendix 4a Ipsos MORI report
Appendix 5 Topline analysis available to Directors of HR in the West MIdlands only, upon request.
Since starting this programme of work a number of initiatives to improve recruitment and retention in West Midlands Prison Healthcare Workforce have been developed. One example is the try before you apply initiative that allows those considering careers in prison health and substance misuse to spend some time in the prison setting prior to applying for a role. More information on the try before you apply initiative can be found here.
The next steps for this work include a reference group meeting in January 2011 that will enable collaborative development of action plans at local and regional level across the West Midlands.