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<p>The Government acted quickly to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in prisons by implementing
restricted regimes to comply with national social distancing guidance and limiting
inter-prisons transfers. Prisons are also implementing a ‘compartmentalisation’ strategy
to isolate the sick, shield the vulnerable and quarantine new arrivals. Latest public
health advice suggests these measures have contained the spread of the virus and minimised
the number of deaths.</p><p>As of Friday 12 June, we are aware of 495 prisoner and
963 prison staff COVID-19 cases across England and Wales. These figures reflect the
total cumulative number of recorded positive cases – not the number of live cases
– of COVID-19, and includes individuals that have since recovered. Figures are subject
to revision as more information becomes available.</p><p>As of Friday 12 June, 23
prisoners and 9 members of prison staff have sadly died having tested positive for
COVID-19 or having shown symptoms. It is a matter for the coroners to determine cause
of death.</p><p>The restricted regimes introduced to protect prisoners and staff from
COVID-19 mean that prisoners are spending longer in their cells than normal which
raises new and different risks to safety and the mental health of prisoners. The Government
takes its responsibilities for these issues very seriously.</p><p>To this end, the
Government is supporting prison Governors to devise and implement local safety and
welfare plans designed to mitigate these safety risks. Prisons across the estate are
giving prisoners access to educational and entertainment material intended to support
their wellbeing. Prisoners confined to their cells continue to access healthcare and
time in the open air, where possible. They also have access to telephones, extra phone
credit and, where available, video calls to contact their loved ones. We continue
to make the Samaritans phone service available, and are working with the Samaritans
to ensure that the listener peer support scheme continues to function effectively.</p><p>Within
the Youth Custody Service (YCS) there has been a focus on delivering essential activities
such as regular phone calls (with young people having been allocated additional free
phone credits), access to showers and education materials, and time in the fresh air,
as well as activities children can undertake in small groups or in their rooms, including
workouts and access to entertainment.</p><p>‘SECURE STAIRS’ -the integrated framework
of care jointly led by NHS England and NHS Improvement and the YCS, provides the foundations
as to how the YCS works with children - has been adopting an approach that underlines
the importance of connectivity, whilst adhering to the guidance on physical distancing.</p><p>The
YCS is continuously assessing the situation, and is keen to expand the regime as soon
as it is safe and sustainable to do so.</p><p>On 4 April, the Government announced
the End of Custody Temporary Release scheme. This scheme enables risk-assessed prisoners,
who are within two months of their release date, to be temporarily released from custody,
as part of the national approach to managing public services during this challenging
period. As of Friday 12 June, 113 offenders have been released under this scheme.
Our plans for early release form one part of a package of measures to create headroom
in the estate to allow us to fully implement compartmentalisation. We are also working
to expedite remand cases and temporarily expanding the estate through the installation
of single occupancy units.</p>
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